Wolf's Paws Rewrite
by drakangrl9
Summary: Rayanne Amenaki has a lot on her plate. She's the crown princess of a race the soul reapers have thought extinct for millennia and she's dealing with those who would see her dead before she claims the throne. Catching the attention of a certain traitorous soul reaper captain is the last thing she needs. Keeping her identity a secret just got a whole lot harder...
1. Prologue: Night Run

**Wolf's Paws**

**Prologue: Night Run**

The night was calm and cool. A few stray clouds drifted across the sky, blocking out a number of stars. The moon was full, lighting the path for a figure that moved through the shadowy streets of the Seireitei. The figure was lean but distinctly feminine. She moved quickly and quietly, darting from shadow to shadow. Occasionally the moonlight granted a shine to flowing ebony hair and a strange glow to somewhat pale skin. Green eyes looked about, continually scanning the girl's surroundings.

The girls slid to a stop when the sound of footsteps reached her ears. She went stock still, rigid, and raised her head.

_The night watch,_ she thought. She took a deep breath through her nose. Good. They'd just been here. They wouldn't be back this way for some time. She moved on, again sticking to the shadows. Eventually she reached the large white wall that surrounded the Seireitei. Straining her ears and expanding her other senses the make certain no one was nearby, the girl leaped on to the roof of a nearby building and vaulted up and over the wall. Once over, she quickly made her way through the quiet streets of Inuzuri. She wrinkled her nose slightly at the scent of blood, sweat and unwashed bodies. Dim sounds reached her from deeper in the town; shouted insults, curses, the occasional crash. Another fight, then. She made it to the edge of the forest unseen. The girls slipped into the trees after scanning her surroundings once more. Once she was a good distance in, the black-haired girl lifted her head and closed her eyes. Her form seemed to ripple and shine like water disturbed on the surface of a moonlit pond. When the shimmering stopped, an amber-eyed gray wolf stood where the girl had been.

The wolf shook out her fur and stretched, claws kneading the soft earth beneath them. She yawned, showing a long pink tongue and a rather impressive set of teeth. Decently stretched, the wolf took off, heading deeper into the darkness of the forest.

Human eyes would have been utterly blind, but the wolf avoided obstacles in her path with ease. Her ears were pricked, picking up the sound of a stream running somewhere nearby and an owl hooting in the distance. She ran for miles, keeping up a steady lope and making virtually no sound. Eventually the wolf slowed to a walk, lowering her nose to the ground before raising it to test the air. There were many scents here; human and animal mingled and intertwined with one another. The variety in the animal scents was staggering.

The wolf wagged her tail, panting, somewhat weary but well satisfied. She was home.

A sound in the brush to her left made the wolf turn her head, ears up, standing alert. A moment later a tiger stepped into sight, making almost no sound despite its immense size.

Upon recognizing the tiger as someone she knew, the wolf raised her tail in greeting. The tiger gave a low growl in return, bowing its head slightly. Then his back bowed and he tucked his head to his chest, form beginning to sift and waver as the girl's had. A few moments later a sandy-haired, fair faced man wearing light chain mail armor stood up to his full height. He watched the wolf as she returned to her human form.

"I did not know you would be returning tonight," the man said quietly, sounding a bit put out.

"I'm not staying long, Alden," the girl replied. "I must return to the Seireitei by dawn."

"Even so, Your Highness...,"

"Alden, please don't call me that," the girl interrupted, looking suddenly pained. Alden sighed. "Rayanne," he said gently, "I know you do not like it, but you must accept the fact that you are the crown princess."

Rayanne made a face. The older man gave her a stern look. "The council's decision wasn't unanimous, I know, but it is final. You are the only heir to the throne."

"They've done a fine job ruling without me," Rayanne said weakly.

"They act only as regents and you know it," Alden replied. "Your coronation as queen is less than seven months away. You may want to consider sitting with the council a bit more often."

"You know I cannot stay away from the Seireitei for too long," Rayanne answered. "And the execution… people are all abuzz with the news. An extended absence will put me on the radar."

Alden sighed again. "Yes, you're right. You probably shouldn't make a habit of leaving right now." Something occurring to him, he stared hard at his future queen. "Princess, do nothing rash. I am aware that Rukia is someone you consider a friend, but you cannot afford notice right now."

"I know, but this doesn't make sense! For unauthorized transferal of her powers, she should've gotten at most thirteen years in prison. Execution, with the Sokyoku no less, is way off the books!"

"We all agree that the circumstances of Rukia's capture and sentence are suspicious, but you must not draw attention to yourself!" Alden said sternly.

Rayanne bit her lip and glared at the ground. "I know," she grumbled. Alden studied her for a few more seconds. She raised her head and glared at him and he dropped his gaze. Without another word, Rayanne brushed past him and began to head down a barely visible trail that meandered between the trees. Alden followed her, hesitating a few moments before falling into step beside her.

"What brings you home this time?" Alden asked after a few quiet minutes.

"I was hoping to speak with Aya. Maybe go for a romp in my native hunting grounds," Rayanne replied.

"Ah," Alden said, a small smile gracing his face.

"How goes the night watch?" Rayanne asked.

"No disturbances thus far," Alden replied. Rayanne nodded once, then looked ahead as her eyes picked out a few lights between the trees. Soon she and Alden stepped from the trees and emerged into a large clearing.

In that clearing stood the shapeshifters' village. It was a decent size, though compared to the Seireitei it was fairly small, the population barely reaching over twelve thousand. It consisted of several one and two story houses and shops, built out of either wood or stone. As Rayanne and Alden walked through the streets, they passed several family-owned shops, a blacksmith's forge and a stable. A few taverns were open this late, usually those that catered to the village's nocturnal residents.

The streets of the shapeshifters' village were more crowded than those of the Rukon districts were at this hour. People whose animal halves were active at night stayed out until all hours, going to taverns or restaurants or shifting and going for a night run. Rayanne nodded greetings to those they passed, hiding her discomfort at their bows and the usual murmured, "Good evening, Princess." A transformed hyena shifter yipped a greeting and a barn owl hooted hello from a window. Rayanne waved at them, then looked ahead of her again and had to display some fancy footwork to avoid stepping on a tabby cat and a snub nosed monkey that had just stepped out of an alley.

"Oh gosh, I'm sorry! I didn't see you there!" Rayanne said once she'd regained her balance.

"Our apologies," the cat meowed in the Common Tongue. "We weren't paying attention," he finished with a bow of the head.

"No harm done," Rayanne smiled, then went to go on her way again. "Good evening."

"Good evening, Princess," the two chorused in Common before turning to head in the opposite direction of Rayanne and Alden.

"I'm never going to get used to that," Rayanne muttered under her breath.

"I think you will," Alden replied with a small smile. "Do you think Aya will be in the castle?" he asked, noticing the direction they were heading in.

"I'm not entirely sure," Rayanne answered, looking up over the rooftops and catching a glimpse of the castle's towers.

The castle was located near the center of the town. It was large, five stories high in most places, and the inner courtyard had an area of roughly 100,000 square feet. It was pentagonal in shape, built in the middle of a square compound that held a stable, a smokehouse, armory and the army and guard barracks. Right in front of the steps leading to the castle was a training field used by the military, and it was this field that Rayanne and Alden came to a stop in when, with a loud screech, a blackbird flew down from the sky and landed on the arm of one of the practice dummies.

"Hi, Aya," Rayanne grinned. The blackbird cawed a similar greeting, then hopped off its perch. When the creature hit the ground, it was no longer a raven, but a girl who looked to be about twelve years old with short black hair and brown eyes.

"Rayanne! What're you doing home?" Aya asked, wrapping the other girl in a tight hug.

"Just dropping by," Rayanne grinned as Aya pulled back. "I was wondering if you'd like to go on a run with me tonight."

Aya's mouth formed a broad grin. "You even have to ask?"

Rayanne smiled. "Meet you in the fields?"

Aya's grin grew mischievous. "Race ya?"

She was off before Rayanne could respond. Rayanne glanced at Alden, who was rolling his eyes. "You'd best catch up with her, Princess. There's no telling what trouble she'll get up to if something distracts her."

Rayanne laughed. "Good point," she said. She ducked her head, form wavering as her transformation began again. Once she'd fully emerged, the wolf shook out her fur before dashing off after her friend. Alden laughed when less than a minute later his tiger ears heard an indignant shout of, "Rayanne! That's _so_ not fair!"

"Children," the man said, smiling and shaking his head as he turned toward the guardhouse.

"Captain," the soldier stationed at the barrack door greeted with a nod of his head. Alden returned the nod, heading toward the captain's quarters.

And up on the tallest turret of the castle battlements, sharp sapphire blue eyes observed the goings on in the shapeshifter's village. Their owner tossed her head and gave a soft whicker of laughter when she saw a gray wolf streaking across the field that surrounded the village, a small blackbird screeching indignantly at being left in the dust.

"That kid's been spending too much time around you, Shannon," an amused voice noted from next to the white unicorn. Shannon sent the griffin a teasing glance.

"And is that a good or a bad thing, Gryphon?"

Gryphon flicked his tufted tail. "Well, if she's picked up your sense of humor, her people _and_ her enemies had better be on the lookout."

Shannon sighed. "I wish a sense of humor would be all it took to get rid of the problems we're all going to have to face."

Gryphon, for once, said nothing. Far below, in the fields, the wolf and blackbird chased after moths.


	2. Double Agent

**Chapter 1:**

**Double Agent**

Rayanne woke beneath the cherry blossom trees outside the squad seven barracks. With a sigh she rolled onto her back and stretched, sighing as she felt her back pop. The girl looked up at the sky; the first hints of pink were beginning to show. Rayanne sat up and listened intently. No one was nearby. She stood quickly and began to make her way toward her room in the barrack, doing her best to ignore the clashes of spiritual pressure she sensed in various areas of the Seireitei. Suddenly her head snapped up and she came to a stop. Breathing through her nose while letting her ears work, she glanced around.

"Well, at least your senses are still fairly sharp," came a familiar voice from the roof of the barrack. Rayanne looked up and saw a yellow-eyed black cat staring down at her.

"Yoruichi!" she shout-whispered, not wanting to wake anyone. "I knew I sensed someone familiar."

"Do you have a moment?" the cat asked, working its way down from the roof.

"We can talk in my room," Rayanne answered, stepping inside and waiting for Yoruichi to enter before shutting the door. The two walked quickly and quietly along the halls until Rayanne opened one of the many identical paneled doors and gestured for Yoruichi to enter first. Rayanne stepped in after her and turned to shut the door. Hearing a popping noise, she turned and jumped in alarm when she found herself facing a dark skinned, purple haired and completely naked woman.

"Damn it, Yoruichi! Don't _do_ that to me!" Rayanne hissed, placing a hand over her heart while the former stealth force captain grinned at her.

"What? It's not like I've got anything you haven't seen already," Yoruichi said.

"You know what I meant," Rayanne answered, rolling her eyes as she stepped past the older woman and went to her dresser table, picking up a hairbrush and looking in the mirror as she proceeded to brush twigs and leaves out of her hair. "So… Ryoka? What's the deal with them?"

"They're here to rescue Rukia," Yoruichi said, all mirth gone from her voice. "I know you're a friend of hers, and I think you'll be able to help us."

"And what makes you so certain I won't betray you?" Rayanne teased as she set her brush down and picked up a hair tie.

"Come on, Rayanne, I know you too well," Yoruichi teased.

Not really, Rayanne thought, face falling just a bit. Yoruichi didn't even know she was a shapeshifter, which was in a way ironic considering the woman's own abilities. Granted, she wasn't shapeshifter as Rayanne and her people were, but you'd think her sense of smell would at least be a bit sharper.

"What do you want me to do?" Rayanne asked.

""Be our eyes on the inside," Yoruichi said. "Report Yamamoto's orders and plans. Maybe assist with training."

"Training?" Rayanne asked with a puzzled frown, turning away from her mirror when she finished putting her hair in a ponytail. Yoruichi grinned and sat on the bed (thankfully she was wearing one of Rayanne's spare shihakushos).

"Come on," she said, patting the bed next to her. "I'm going to give you the low-down on the team…,"

xxXXxx

Rayanne walked along the Seireitei's streets, moving with purpose toward the Repentance Cell where Rukia was being held. Ichigo and the others would be headed there and with any luck she'd run into one of them and be able to introduce herself.

"Good thing for me there's a wartime exception," she muttered, fingering the hilt of her zanpakuto, Yasei No Raida*. Judging by Yoruichi's description of Ichigo, he'd probably attack first and ask questions later.

Guess the hair color fits, if he is that much of a hothead, Rayanne thought with a small smile as she rounded a corner. She paused and slowed down, frowning slightly. A shiver traveled down her spine and she knew that if she had had fur at that moment, it would be standing on end. She heard footsteps coming toward her and managed to school her expression before Captain Aizen stepped into view. Rayanne swallowed. This man, for some reason, always unsettled Wolf.

"Good morning, Rayanne!" Aizen smiled as he walked toward her.

"Good morning, Captain Aizen," Rayanne said, managing to return the smile as the two met in the middle of the street.

"Where are you off to this morning?" Aizen asked, still smiling.

Oh, crap, Rayanne thought. Think fast, umm…,

"Nowhere, really," Rayanne said "Although I might try to find Nanao later. She told me she's been having trouble kicking her captain into gear."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Aizen said, smile widening. Then as if someone had flipped a switch, his expression became very serious. "Rayanne, do you mind horribly if I ask you something?"

"Ummm…," Rayanne responded, not at all sure what to make of this sudden change.

"Do you think Rukia Kuchiki deserves to die?" Aizen asked. Rayanne refrained from biting her lip. The way he was looking at her unsettled her; it was intense and _calculating. _She breathed deeply.

"No," she answered. His scent portrayed no anxiousness… unlike his tone.

Aizen nodded. "I thought not." His gaze became distant as he looked off to her right. "Her crime was unauthorized transferal of her powers. Execution for such a crime is unheard of, as is the use of the Sokyoku on a soul reaper who isn't a captain."

Rayanne raised her eyebrows questioningly when he looked back at her. "Are you saying someone's orchestrated this whole thing?"

The predator in her squirmed when her nose picked up on his surprise and something akin to… gods, she didn't know. _Oh, this is weird._

"Yes," Aizen answered. None of his inner turmoil showed on his face. "It sounds a bit strange, I know, but I can't help but feel that someone is behind this." He smiled gently at her. "I'm sorry to lay this all on you, but…,"

"It's all right," Rayanne answered, perhaps a bit hurriedly.

"Good luck, Rayanne," Aizen said, placing his hand on her shoulder as he walked past her. It took a surprising amount of Rayanne's self-control not to 'raise her hackles', as Aya would put it. The girl took a quick glance at Aizen's retreating form before hurrying on her way.

xxXXxx

Rayanne was still trying to shake her ill feelings from her encounter with the Squad Five captain when something slammed into her. Hard. Hard enough to knock her over. Blinking, Rayanne found herself staring up at a teenage boy wearing a soul reaper's shihakusho. A teenage boy with bright orange hair.

"Ichigo Kurosaki?" Rayanne asked.

The boy immediately leaped to his feet, pointing a large cleaver-like zanpakuto at her. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"

Rayanne raised her hands in a placating gesture. "Calm down. Yoruichi sent me."

Ichigo lowered his sword. "Yoruichi?"

"Yup," Rayanne answered, standing and taking note of the other two with him.

"Who the hell are you?" the guy she assumed was Ganju asked.

"A girl with black hair," Rayanne answered. Ganju frowned at her while one side of Ichigo's mouth quirked up.

"Oh, I know you!" Hanataro yelled, practically jumping up and down. "You're… You're…," he looked up at Rayanne, cheeks slightly red. "I… I'm sorry, I know I've seen you before, but I don't know your name."

_Dear God, is he blushing?_ Rayanne thought, barely suppressing a grin. "No worries, I'd rather keep it under wraps for now."

"Why?" Ichigo demanded.

"In case you get caught."

"Hmph. At least somebody here's got brains," Ganju muttered.

"Hey!" Hanataro said indignantly.

"So…," Ichigo said to Rayanne. She grinned.

"Call me Sukai**," she said.

"Why did Yoruichi send you?" Ichigo asked.

"I'm your eyes on the inside," Rayanne answered. "I know what all of you look like and Yoruichi's keeping me posted with your plan. I'm going to be keeping you posted on the Gotei 13's troop movements. Maybe even giving you a few pointers on getting around." Suddenly she lifted her head, a wolf pricking her ears. She looked ahead of the group. "Renji's coming."

"Renji?" Ichigo asked.

"Lieutenant Abarai?" Ganju said, eyes widening. Rayanne's ears picked up on his increased heart rate. "Of sixth company?"

"What other Renji is there?" Rayanne asked. Hanataro gave a frightened squeak.

"Oh, come on, you'll be fine," she said. "I gotta bounce."

"Wait, what?" Ichigo said. Rayanne rolled her eyes.

"If I'm going to be spying for you, it won't do a heck of a lot of good if I'm seen with you."

"Good point," Ichigo admitted after a moment's silence.

"Jeez, do all guys think this fast? I'm surprised you lived long enough to figure out how to make clothes," Rayanne muttered.

"Hey!" chorused the rather indignant party. Rayanne grinned.

"I'll be in touch," she said, turning toward an alley.

"Thanks, Sukai," Ichigo said, smiling at her. Rayanne winked. Then she was gone.

The boys were silent for a few moments.

"Damn, she's good," Ganju said. The other two stared at him.

"What?"

**Author's notes:**

***: Yasei no Raida = Wild Rider**

****: Sukai = Sky**

**I apologize for the not too interesting chapter. I'm hoping to get some really good stuff in the next chapter or two, so keep your fingers crossed. I'm open to suggestions, btw.**


	3. Strange Happenings

**Chapter 2:**

**Strange Happenings**

Rayanne shook out her fur, glancing up at the moon between the branches of the trees overhead. Snorting and shaking her head, the wolf trotted deeper into the forest in the direction of a rabbit colony she knew was a good source of food. The day had been a trying one, to say the least. Ichigo had defeated Renji (the news had spread like wildfire through the Seireitei; everyone was freaking out. Rayanne found it fairly amusing). Said lieutenant was thrown into prison, courtesy of his captain, Byakuya (Rayanne's opinion of him had been considerably lowered). Rayanne had investigated the area where Ichigo and Renji had fought; obviously there had been a lot of blood, mostly the lieutenant's, but a lot had been Ichigo's, too. Rayanne found herself to be a bit worried about the orangette's condition considering the amount he'd lost, but if memory served Hanataro was a seated member of Squad Four. He'd be able to get the kid back on his feet. And Rukia… could she feel Ichigo and Renji fight? What was running through her head right now? Knowing her the raven-headed Kuchiki was beating herself up with guilt. Rayanne's worry for her friend seemed to be increasing regularly, and not just because the clock was ticking down on her life. There was the whole _thing_ with Captain Aizen that morning. Just thinking about it got Wolf's hackles up. Rayanne didn't know what it was, but her animal half just _did not trust _the man. Crazy though it seemed, Rayanne did believe someone was behind Rukia's unusually harsh sentence. Who, though? And what were they trying to achieve?

Rayanne whined. These thoughts did not fit in an animal body and it was giving her a headache. Wolf wanted to run, and so did Rayanne.

A rustling, the crunch of pine needles underfoot, stopped her just before she bolted. The wolf pricked her ears, listening. Something large, two legged. Someone from the Rukongai? Rayanne wasn't sure if she was on one of the noble estates or not. The wolf dropped into a hunter's crouch and moved toward the sound, weight evenly distributed, staying low. She came into sight of a row of hedges; a path? Apparently so. She raised her nose, but whoever it was, they were downwind. Rayanne creeped over to the hedges. Finding a spot in the leaves she could peer through, she lowered her head and took a look.

_Captain Aizen?_

Indeed it was. The Squad Five captain was walking along a pathway nearly overrun with grass, weeds and pine needles. The moonlight glinted off his glasses, giving him a markedly wicked look. Rayanne's claws kneaded the earth, almost unconsciously. She followed the man, keeping to the shadows, slightly up a rise. If Rayanne's memory served her correctly, they were heading in the direction of an old cabin that used to belong to the Shihoin clan. What the hell would Aizen be doing there, though?

_Crunch._ Rayanne's paw fell on a particularly dry patch of pine needles. She froze mid-step. On the path, Aizen stopped, too, looking toward the trees. Rayanne stayed absolutely still as his gaze swept over her. Then he paused and peered into the shadows again. His gaze became more focused and Rayanne realized he had seen her.

"Good evening," he said softly, though Rayanne's ears picked the words up easily. She tensed further, despite the fact that part of her brain was thinking, _is he actually talking to me? In wolf form?_

"I must admit, I haven't seen many animal spirits in the Soul Society. I've certainly never seen a wolf," Aizen said, still smiling. "You are a beautiful one, though, aren't you?"

Rayanne's ears twitched slightly.

"Are you hunting, little wolf?" Aizen asked. "I apologize if I scared your prey, but I assure you you'll have no luck with me."

And boy, did she know it. Her ears flicked backward and her tail twitched slightly.

"Run, now," Aizen said, "and good hunting, little wolf."

Rayanne stared at him for a moment. Then she turned bolted into the trees, running as fast as she could. A chill traveled down her spine again, but the wolf didn't pause, didn't even slow down. She kept running, running, _running,_ wanting to get as far away from the man as she could.

xxXXxx

Rayanne woke in her bed in the Squad Seven barracks the following morning, roused by an ear-piercing scream. Recognizing the screamer as Momo, Rayanne leaped out of bed and dashed out her door, tying her hair back as she ran. She darted past other soul reapers who were heading toward the noise, barely remembering to check her speed as she wove her way through them. Rayanne skidded to a halt when she arrived on the scene. Her eyes widened in shock.

Captain Aizen's body was pinned to the wall of a tower, held there by his own sword, run through his stomach. Blood covered him and the wall around him, having flowed a considerable distance down the tower wall. So much blood…

Rayanne's eyes narrowed. She blinked and anyone looking hard enough would have noticed her eyes were now tinged with amber. The girl breathed through her nose. There was blood scent, but it was _wrong, wrong, wrong!_ It smelled only of iron, not as though it had come from something alive. There was no scent of decay, either. The most notable thing to Rayanne, however, was the lack of a scent known to all animals, the distinct scent that lingered around corpses. They didn't have a word for it except _death_. There was absolutely no death scent here. Not even the slightest trace.

_What the hell is going on?_ Rayanne thought, looking up at the wall again. She blinked. _What…?_

Aizen's form was shimmering, indistinct. Rayanne allowed more wolf to mingle with the human side of her. Now he was virtually transparent. The girl blinked again, pushing her wolf down. When she opened her eyes again, the image was completely solid. _Something is WAY wrong here!_ She thought, breathing becoming slightly deeper.

"YOU DID THIS!"

The sudden shout made Rayanne jump. She turned her focus to the other gathered soul reapers in time to see Momo leap at Captain Ichimaru. Izuru jumped before his captain in time to block the girl's blade.

"Izuru… why?" Momo asked.

"I'm assistant captain of third company!" Izuru retorted. "No one draws a sword against my captain for any reason!"

"Izuru, please step aside," Momo pleaded.

"I can't."

"Step aside. Move."

"I'm telling you to move!" Momo screamed, the volume and pitch of her voice making Rayanne wince.

"I'm telling you I won't!" Izuru shouted back.

"Snap, Tobiume!"

Rayanne's eyes widened in shock. "Lieutenant Hinamori, stop!" she shouted. Too late. Rayanne grit her teeth as a loud explosion blew Momo and Izuru away from each other.

"You dare draw your zanpakuto here? That's foolish!" Izuru said through gritted teeth. "Don't you realize what you're doing? It's foolish to resolve personal matters here, Assistant Captain Hinamori!"

Rayanne, ignoring Izuru's words, saw Momo raising her sword to attack again. Without much thought, she leaped out of the alley, dashed over to Momo and gripped the girl's sword arm.

"Stop, Momo," she whispered harshly. "Think about what you're doing. Izuru's right."

"B…but Captain Ichimaru…," Momo practically whimpered.

"_You don't know that,"_ Rayanne hissed. Even more quietly, she whispered, "I don't scent him here, not that recently. The last time he was here was several days ago. I can smell Aizen, yes, but the only other scents here are ours. All of them fresh."

"B…but then…," Momo sputtered.

"Who's the killer?" Rayanne asked. "You got me on that one, too." The two girls looked up abruptly when Captain Hitsugaya appeared on the scene.

"Arrest them. Both of them," he ordered, indicating Momo and Izuru. Rayanne jumped a bit when Rangiku came up from behind her and seized Momo, Lieutenant Iba pushing her aside. Shuuhei grabbed Izuru.

"Take them away! I'll report this to the captain general!" Hitsugaya said. Rayanne watched as the lieutenants flash-stepped away, doing her best to ignore the way the captain of third company was looking at her.

"I'm impressed, Miss Amenaki," Gin said. "What did you say to her to calm her down?"

"How not smart it is to release your zanpakuto in a place like this?" Rayanne answered shortly.

"Whoa, do ya talk to everybody like that?" Gin teased. Rayanne picked up on the subtext.

"Sorry, sir," she muttered, bowing her head.

"Eh, no harm done," Gin responded, and if Rayanne wasn't mistaken his grin widened a bit.

"Dismissed, Amenaki," Hitsugaya said so abruptly Rayanne nearly jumped. She turned her gaze to him.

"Dismissed," he nearly snapped. _Whoa_, Rayanne thought.

"Aw, Hitsugaya-kun, there's no need ta be so mean to her," Gin said in a mock scolding tone.

"Thank you, Captain Ichimaru, but I will be taking my leave now," Rayanne said. With a quick bow to the two men, she moved quickly in the direction she had come, thoughts buzzing around in her head like a news studio about to reveal some gigantic political scandal. She had a lot of them, but the major, overarching question was _what the hell is going on?_

xxXXxx

"Your Majesty," Captain Alden greeted as Rayanne entered the palace that night through one of her favored side entrances. She nodded in greeting and moved into a small antechamber, collapsing onto a plush red sofa. She sighed, head dropping back to rest on the back of the sofa, eyes sliding shut.

"Would you like me to get you anything?" Alden asked quietly. "Cider? Wine?"

Rayanne's lips curled into a smile. "Alden, you know I don't drink," she said. "Some cider would be nice, though, thank you."

She sighed softly when she heard Alden leave the room, allowing herself to sink further into the cushions. Her breathing had deepened by the time the door opened again. She opened her eyes to see Alden standing before her, holding out a glass filled with bubbling golden cider. The girl took it with murmured thanks and took a few sips before setting the glass down on a small wooden table beside the couch.

"Judging by the look on your face, you know what's happened in the Seireitei," Rayanne commented as Alden sat on the couch across from her.

"The whole village knows," Alden answered. "The bird scouts were quite quick to deliver their reports." A dry chuckle. "I think we knew before the soul reapers did."

"I wouldn't be surprised, with the way some of the falcons fly," Rayanne said with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"You were there," Alden stated. Rayanne nodded.

"Is Captain Aizen dead?"

"…"

"Rayanne?" Alden asked softly.

"I don't know," Rayanne all but whispered, staring at the wall behind the captain. "I smelled blood, but it smelled _wrong,_ somehow, like it hadn't been inside a living being. Then there was no scent of a killer, no death scent, and as if that wasn't weird enough when I let Wolf slip out a bit his body was freaking see-thru!"

"See-thru?"

"Like it was a mirage," Rayanne answered, rubbing a hand over her face. "The more I think about it, the more confused I get. I don't think he's dead, Alden, but I believe he wants people to think he is. I'm certain he's the one who set up that... illusion."

"How do you know?" Alden asked.

"His was the only scent recent enough," Rayanne answered. "And I s_aw_ him last night, heading toward the old Shihoin cabin."

"What in the three worlds would he be doing there?" Alden said, sitting straight up abruptly. "And how come we've never seen him?"

"Alden, you know shapeshifters tend to avoid that area of the woods," Rayanne said. "The Rukon people wander there still, and there's a residue of dark power hanging around the place."

It was Alden's turn to sigh. "Yes, I know. I'll have an avian patrol check the area over, see if they can find anything."

"You took the words right out of my mouth," Rayanne said with a small grin, taking another sip of cider. The two sat in silence for several minutes after that, both staring at something only they could see.

"What possible reason could he have to fake his death?" Alden mused quietly.

"I have absolutely no idea," Rayanne answered.


	4. Predators and Prey

**Chapter 3:**

**Predators and Prey**

Rayanne walked quickly through the streets of the Seireitei. Rukia's execution had been moved to today, and she needed to hurry to reach the Sokyoku by the time Ichigo got there.

_I hope Renji's okay,_ she thought, putting her head down and walking a bit faster. She'd sensed him fighting Byakuya and could tell he was still alive, but if she knew Byakuya the redhead had come fairly close to being sliced into mincemeat.

Speaking of meat… Rayanne raised her head, breathing deeply through her nose. Less than a second later she was doubled over and gagging, doing her best to keep from throwing up. The breeze carried with it the scent of carrion. Really old carrion.

"Where the hell is that coming from?" Rayanne muttered nasally, one hand covering her nose. Swallowing thickly, she removed her hand from her nose and took a breath. Fighting the gag urge this time, she turned her head left and right to figure out where the scent was coming from. Taking a few steps forward, then back, Rayanne decided on a direction and followed the scent through several winding streets. Her eyes widened, then narrowed when she realized just where the scent was coming from.

_Central 46?_ Biting her lip, Rayanne glanced around her. The streets were deserted. She glanced at the wall surrounding the Central 46 compound. _Oh, I shouldn't be doing this. But rules are meant to be broken,_ as her mentor Shannon was so fond of saying. Taking one final look around, Rayanne crouched and leaped, clearing the wall in one clean leap. Looking back on it, Rayanne counted herself lucky that she landed on the walkway and didn't end up doing what probably would have been a wonderfully painful belly flop in the little fish pond. Straightening up and taking a deep breath, once again repressing the urge to gag, she swallowed thickly and walked slowly toward the main entrance. Midway across the bridge, she stopped and doubled over, placing a hand on her stomach and gritting her teeth.

_Down, girl,_ she thought to Wolf. _We're good, it's all right._

_Bad,_ Wolf insisted. _Very bad. Dangerous. Run._

_I believe you,_ Rayanne thought to herself grimly. Pushing Wolf farther down, Rayanne straightened and walked forward again, reaching hesitantly for the doorknob. A sudden grating noise made her leap backward just before dozens of blades crisscrossed themselves in front of the door. Rayanne took a couple of slow steps forward, placing a hand on the blades. _Emergency security,_ she realized. _Great._

Exhaling slowly, Rayanne took a step back and closed her eyes. Taking one more calming breath, she flexed her hands and let go.

The wolf trotted up to the door and stood up on her hind legs, hooking her claws onto the topmost blades. Gathering her reiatsu and a bit of magic, she flexed her claws and tore through the blades like paper. That obstacle removed, the wolf proceeded to scratch the locks off of the doors, of which she swore there were entirely too many. Coming through one of these doors, Rayanne suddenly came to a stop. There was still one door in front of her, and it was quite plain that this was the last of the line; the carrion smell was very strong now. Rayanne's lips curled back from her teeth and with a growl she lashed out with a paw, almost knocking the door clean off its hinges. The wolf stepped forward, wide eyes taking in the scene before her.

It was carnage. The carrion smell was overpowering. The members of the Council were slumped over desks, half fallen out of their chairs. There was blood everywhere; the floor, the walls, the tables were covered in it. The wolf growled softly, clawing unconsciously at the floor. The blood was dry and brown and smelled old. The scent also told that the bodies were decaying; the councilors had been dead for quite some time, probably around a month. Rayanne growled deep in her throat.

They had been dead when Rukia was sentenced.

This meant Aizen had been right. Someone _was_ behind this. But who would want to? Who even _could_ pull this off? Who had the ability to give orders in place of the 46 without anyone noticing? For a whole _month?_ The wolf put her nose to the ground, sniffing, searching as she moved around the chamber. The scent of blood, death and decay was overpowering, but beneath it all she could smell something… someone… else.

The wolf peeled her lips back and growled in fury.

_It _was_ you._

The sound of a door opening and footsteps moving in her direction made the wolf freeze. She jerked her head up, listening. They weren't coming from the main entrance, which meant it could only be one person. Rayanne looked around wildly. There had to be a hiding place somewhere. Seeing an empty alcove in the back wall, she dashed over to it and crouched there, hidden in the shadows, and waited. The wait wasn't a long one.

A very much alive Sosuke Aizen stepped from the doorway Rayanne suspected led to the Seijoto Kyorin. He looked at the smashed door and proceeded to look around the council chamber, Rayanne crouching a bit lower when his gaze swept over her hiding place. She kept her breathing as quiet as possible as the former Fifth Division captain walked to the center of the chamber, once again examining his surroundings after scrutinizing something on the floor.

"I know you're still here," Aizen said softly, causing Rayanne's heart to skip a beat. "Come out. I promise I won't harm you."

_Yeah, right._ Rayanne looked around for an escape route. Aizen blocked her path to the main door and she couldn't get to the one he'd entered through without being seen. The sound of footsteps made her turn her head back toward Aizen. He was moving around the front rows of seats, constantly scanning the room. _Shit._

"This will be much easier if you do not make me search you out. I will not tell you again," Aizen said. His tone was gentle, similar to a parent scolding an angry child, but it carried a threatening undertone that had Rayanne crouching even lower and trying to push herself farther into the corner.

"Good afternoon, Captain Aizen!" came a familiar voice from the main entryway. "Were you practicin' your kido again?"

Rayanne's fur rose along her spine as Gin and Tosen entered the council chamber. "Who the heck broke all the doors?" Gin asked. "They look like somebody just sliced right through 'em."

"Whoever it was, they're still here," Aizen said, turning to look at his accomplices.

"Good hiders, then?" Gin asked, usual grin broadening.

"Quite. I must give them my compliments; I cannot sense them at all," Aizen said, looking pointedly around the room. If Rayanne had been human, she may have gulped. Instead she scanned the shadows; her shade-walking ability could be put to good use here. Sensing a familiar spiritual pressure, the wolf suddenly went rigid. The three traitors also turned their attention to the exterior of the council chamber.

"Our guests are arriving," Aizen said, sounding amused. "I assume you told Izuru his role, Gin?"

"Yes sir, Captain!" Gin said with a mock salute.

"Tosen, go and find Renji and Rukia. We will meet up with you when we are finished here," Aizen ordered.

"Yes, sir," Tosen said. "And what of the intruder?"

"Leave that to me."

With that, Gin and Tosen flash-stepped away. To Rayanne's disappointment, Aizen stayed right where he was, turning to face the interior of the council chamber. Rayanne's heartbeat sped up.

"I'd stay hidden for now. I would not want you to be implicated in this," the ex-captain said, his familiar warm smile in place. "Good luck."

The wolf blinked. When her eyes opened again, Aizen was gone.

xxXXxx

Rayanne, still in wolf form, padded quietly down the hallway that led to the Seijoto Kyorin. She had stayed hidden while Captain Hitsugaya and his lieutenant had discovered the scene in the council chamber. Izuru's appearance had not been a shock to her because of Gin and Aizen's earlier conversation, but she did wonder if the Squad Three lieutenant had any idea of what was really going on. She had been about to emerge from her hiding place when she realized Momo had been following Hitsugaya and Rangiku. Upon seeing Gin with the girl, Rayanne immediately opted to follow them. So here she was, walking down a hallway in the middle of the Seireitei in wolf form.

_Never did I think I would be doing this,_ was probably the best translation for what was running through the wolf's head. Hearing voices, she slowed and dropped even closer to the floor. Pricking her ears, she came to the end of the hallway and found herself surrounded by towers. Ears flicking from side to side, the wolf moved toward the tower she heard Momo's voice coming from.

"How have you been, Momo?"

At the sound of that voice, Rayanne moved faster, ears moving back a bit as her claws clicked on the wooden floors. As the conversation between Aizen and his old lieutenant, Rayanne's lips peeled back in a snarl and she had to keep a growl from escaping her. Moving so she stayed hidden behind one of the towers, Rayanne peered around so she would be able to see the entrance to the one she heard Momo and Aizen in.

"Thank you, Momo. Our time together was a joy to me," Aizen was saying.

Rayanne felt the fur rise along her spine, a sense of foreboding growing in the pit of her stomach.

"Thank you, Momo. Thank you very much," Aizen said. Rayanne bristled until she resembled a porcupine.

"Good-bye."

Rayanne heard the sound of a sword slicing through flesh, smelled freshly spilled blood. Her claws raked the floor and she growled low in her throat. _Pack in trouble. Pack hurt. Pack!_

"Captain?" Momo asked.

Rayanne heard a thud; Momo's body hitting the floor, she realized.

"Well then, shall we, Gin?"

"Yes, Captain Aizen."

Rayanne quickly took a pace back as she heard Gin and Aizen approaching the entrance of the tower. Her heart skipped a beat when she felt Captain Hitsugaya approaching.

_Rayanne,_ a familiar voice whispered in her mind.

_Shannon? What's going on?_ Rayanne asked.

_Execution. Rescue. Hello?_ Shannon said. _Get to the Sokyoku. Quickly; you will see the truth of things._

The wolf whined softly.

_Don't worry. Momo will live. I will see to it._

The wolf snorted, tail flicking back and forth in agitation. Then she turned and ran back the way she had come.

xxXXxx

"I'm not saying we can beat them, but maybe we can stun them and walk out of here with some pride."

"Screw pride, I thought you guys wanted to rescue Rukia."

Ichigo and Renji jumped a mile.

"Don't turn around, don't act like you've heard anything," Rayanne hissed from behind them. The boys took a deep breath before once again focusing on the three enemies before them.

"Sukai, what are you doing here?" Ichigo said, doing his best to talk without moving his mouth. He wasn't doing too well so far.

"Sukai?" Renji said out of the side of his mouth.

"Rayanne!" Rukia shout-whispered. "You're with them?"

"Yup."

"How the hell did you get up here without being spotted?" Ichigo whispered.

"I ran around the hill and flash-stepped up, then hung off the ledge to make sure I was out of Aizen and company's line of sight before I snuck up behind you."

"…That's actually kinda smart," Ichigo said.

"Smart? That's gotta be the simplest plan I've ever heard," Renji scoffed. "Though I'm not surprised you thought it was. I don't know how you've managed to keep your head on your shoulders this long."

"What did you say?" Ichigo snapped.

"Guys!" Rayanne hissed so lowly it was _almost_ a growl. Ichigo and Renji jumped. "I think we might want to be planning what the hell we wanna do!"

"Right," Ichigo said, glancing over at the three captains who stood before them. "Can you run, Renji?"

"I can, but I won't," Renji answered.

"_I _can," Rayanne said. Suddenly she perked up, a grin spreading across her face. "Oh-ho! Light bulb!"

"_What?"_ Renji said.

"I've got an idea," Rayanne translated. "You and Ichigo distract them. While their attention is on you, I'll take Rukia and get her out of here."

The three soul reapers looked at each other.

"It's our best option. If all three of us run, there's no way we'll get away," Renji said.

"Okay then," Ichigo said, looking ahead again. "Then I guess we're a team!"

As Ichigo and Renji stood so they blocked the traitors' view of Rayanne, she crouched down to make herself as small as possible. She glanced sideways when Renji dropped Rukia next to her.

"Rayanne!" Rukia said, grabbing her friend's hand. "What do you think you're doing?" the little Kuchiki said, smiling tiredly.

"Something stupid," Rayanne answered with a cheeky grin. "Your brother will probably kick my ass for this when he finds out just how involved I was."

"Higga Zekko!" Renji shouted. After a quick glance forward to make certain Aizen and his cohorts were distracted, Rayanne grabbed Rukia and ran backward toward the edge of Sokyoku Hill, making sure to keep Renji and Ichigo between them and their attackers. She grit her teeth and tightened her grip as she felt Ichigo and Renji's spiritual pressure rise, picking up her pace a bit. Feeling Ichigo's reiatsu drop suddenly, Rayanne ducked behind one of the pillars at the execution site. Hearing Rukia gasp, she glanced around their hiding spot… and immediately felt some of the blood drain from her face.

Aizen had stopped Ichigo's sword _with a finger._ Rayanne inhaled sharply when she saw the injury the former fifth division captain had inflicted.

"Hmmm… You should be in two pieces right now," Aizen said. "I must've miscalculated."

Ichigo collapsed at Aizen's feet and an instant later the man vanished. A second later, Rayanne caught sight of him standing behind Renji. Blood flowed from an extremely deep wound in his shoulder, and the redhead collapsed with a small groan. Rayanne ducked behind the pillar again, concentrating on keeping her breathing quiet and even and making sure not a trace of her reiatsu escaped her. She heard Rukia's heart rate speed up, could smell the rise of adrenalin in the smaller girl.

_Damn it, if only my shade-walking worked when I'm not transformed!_ Rayanne thought, feeling Rukia burrow a bit deeper into her arms. She tightened her grip in response, barely keeping herself from growling in agitation. Discreetly biting the inside of her cheek, Rayanne dared another glance around the pillar.

Aizen was transparent.

_Illusion,_ Rayanne realized, remembering Isane's announcement via the Tenteikura. _God damn it, why didn't I realize it before? Shannon's trained me to recognize illusions, but I was stupid enough to think a soul reaper wouldn't possess a power that strong!_ Hiding behind the pillar again, Rayanne shook her head when Rukia opened her mouth. With a sigh that was barely audible even to herself, Rayanne leaned back against the pillar and closed her eyes, straining her ears until she thought they would fall off as she let Wolf come to the fore.

_Silence… Silence… Silence… Step._

Quick as a wink, Rayanne dropped Rukia and drew her zanpakuto just in time to block Aizen's attack.

"Excellent, Rayanne," Aizen said, completely ignoring the glare the girl directed at him. "You've improved wonderfully since the last time I saw you spar."

Rayanne, ignoring his words, pushed away from him and attempted to stab his chest. He parried the blow and slashed at her; she leaped out of the way, just barely. They exchanged a few more blows, Rayanne doing her best to draw him away from Rukia. Hopefully the girl would realize what she was doing and have the sense to run.

Rayanne didn't even see the blow that struck her, nearly slicing her open from chest to stomach. At the same time she was thrown back several feet, landing hard on the unforgiving ground. Breathing hard, vision blurring, Rayanne realized she must have blacked out for a few seconds because when she managed to raise her head again, Aizen was holding Rukia by the red collar around her neck and was saying something to Ichigo, who was amazingly enough still able to talk.

Rayanne tried to raise herself to her elbows and groaned softly when a searing pain shot through her, her severed muscles protesting loudly at the movement.

"Rayanne!" she heard Ichigo say hoarsely. "Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay to you?" Rayanne managed to shoot back, letting her head drop again. Her eyes narrowed as Aizen chuckled softly.

"It looks like you have more than one hard head in your group," he said, smiling when Rayanne raised her head to glare at him.

"Your strength is amazing, but try to get up and you'll bleed to death in a matter of minutes," the man said to her. "Just rest for now."

Turning back to Ichigo, "As I was saying, by removing the barriers between hollows and soul reapers, two opposing life forms, new heights can be achieved. The theory has been around for a while. I focused my efforts on hollows. Eventually I was able to send out a number of hollows with powers much like those of soul reapers; hollows that could turn off their spiritual pressure, make zanpakuto disappear just by touching them, hollows that could fuse with soul reapers."

A thrill went through Rayanne and for a few seconds she saw red. Wolf writhed within her, howling in rage. Curling her hands and swallowing a shriek of pain as she held the animal back, Rayanne glanced at Rukia. The girl's eyes were wide with horror and Rayanne could guess exactly who the girl was thinking about. Feeling Wolf fighting to emerge again, Rayanne let her head fall back and closed her eyes, focusing on breathing deeply and calming her animal half down; shifting in front of so many people, especially soul reapers, would not end well. She only half heard Aizen explaining about Kisuke Urahara, his reishi-less gigai and the development of the Hogyoku and how Urahara had hidden it inside Rukia's soul.

"Ya doin' okay there, Ray-kun?"

Rayanne opened her eyes to see a certain silver-haired captain staring down at her, grin seeming a bit broader than usual.

"Just peachy, thanks," Rayanne responded, managing to sound a bit chipper despite the fact that she was bleeding so much it had now completely soaked through her uniform. A sudden rush of reiatsu nearly made Rayanne pass out again; she recognized it as belonging to her captain. _Gods, that idiot, what's he thinking, rushing in like that?_ Rayanne thought, looking at the dust that was slowly settling and revealing Aizen, still holding Rukia, holding on to Komamura's sword with his bare hand.

"It's been a while since I saw your face. What brought about the change, Komamura?" Aizen asked.

"You! How dare you grin at me like that Aizen!" Komamura roared

Rayanne closed her eyes as she felt a few chips of rock hit her face, the result of her captain's second attack.

"You've betrayed and deceived us all! But you'll pay!" the seventh division captain said as Aizen landed next to Tosen.

_Wait… where's Rukia?_ Rayanne thought. Then her heart skipped a beat. _And Aizen's see-thru again._ Without conscious thought, her mouth opened so she could shout a warning to her captain, but she was abruptly silenced when a sharp kick to the ribs sent her rolling sideways.

"None o' that now, Ray-kun," Gin said in a mock scolding tone while Rayanne spat blood from her mouth, groaning softly as pain shot through her again. _Damn it, my wound's reopening._ Glancing skyward, Rayanne silently thanked whoever it was that gave shapeshifters rapid healing abilities.

"Rayanne! Are you okay?" the girl heard Rukia ask, quietly and anxiously. Swallowing, the shapeshifter glanced sideways to see Rukia watching her from behind the former third division captain's robes with wide, worried eyes.

"I'll be fine," she answered weakly.

"Hado 90," Rayanne heard Aizen saying. "Kurohitsugi."

When the black box had dissipated, Rayanne's eyes widened when Komamura fell as though his legs had turned to water, blood flowing from innumerable wounds all over his body. _How strong is the guy?_ She thought in horror.

"A level 90 unspoken hado! Now that's scary!" Gin commented as Aizen walked toward him. "When did you achieve that?"

"No, it was a failure. I couldn't even summon a third of its normal destructive capability," Aizen responded.

_ONLY a third? I'd hate to see a full one, in that case,_ Rayanne thought.

"I'm sorry. Now then, where were we?" Aizen asked, grabbing Rukia's collar and pulling her away from Gin, ignoring the girl's horrified look and the way she tried to pull away from him ever so slightly. Rayanne suppressed a growl.

"Oh, yes. Rukia Kuchiki, when you were discovered in the world of the living, the first thing I did was eliminate the Council of 46."

"What?" Rukia asked breathlessly. Ichigo's widened eyes showed he was probably thinking along similar lines. Rayanne, however, was thinking more along the lines of _I knew it_ and glaring daggers at the man due to the implications of that action.

"Isane probably told you something to the effect that Sosuke Aizen faked his death, then murdered the council, but that's not how it happened. Soon after you were located, I killed the members of the council and placed a spell on the underground assembly hall. I made it appear as if the council were alive and in session; even if someone were to enter the chamber, they would see nothing unusual. But then, without the council's permission, no captain would go there anyway." Now Aizen glanced at Rayanne, the sunlight glinting off his glasses making him look especially sinister. The girl suppressed a shudder as the man's eyes found hers. "I believe I'm confirming what you already know, Rayanne." He smiled. "You have been known to be too clever by half every now and then."

"Why, thank you," Rayanne bit out acidly as she fought Wolf down, though she was thinking _crap! He knows!_

Aizen, apparently seeing her struggling with something and assuming she was trying to move, sighed. "Didn't I tell you to relax, my dear?" he murmured. Had Wolf not been so close to the surface, Rayanne wouldn't have heard him. Her eyes widened slightly as she began to feel lightheaded, tired. She screwed her eyes shut as her head dropped to the ground, trying to fight the sleeping kido Aizen was casting on her. Her injury had taken too much of a toll; she was too weak, and in a matter of seconds her consciousness eluded her.


	5. In The Days After

**Chapter 4:**

**In The Days After**

"_Good-bye, soul reapers. Good-bye, Ryoka boy," Aizen said as the negacion lifted him into the hands of the Menos. Rayanne, who was having trouble keeping her eyes open, suddenly found that to be no big issue when the traitor's gaze swept over the spectators and settled on her._

"_You were interesting," he said with a smile that sent chills down her spine. "For a human," he said when he looked away. As the massive black hole in the sky closed, it seemed to close the door to Rayanne's own consciousness…_

Rayanne jolted upright. It took her a few moments to realize she was lying in her bed in her chambers in the palace; one of the few times she had actually used this bed.

_I don't care if I'm the crown princess, I still feel funny sleeping here,_ Rayanne thought as she gazed around the room, trying to push the memories of Sokyoku Hill out of her mind. She glanced toward the door when she heard someone coming down the hall. The door opened a crack.

"It's okay, Aya, nobody's in here," Rayanne said, barely suppressing a smile. The councilors and advisors would undoubtedly be ticked if they ever figured out her friend's habit of visiting in the early morning hours.

"Sweet!" Aya shout-whispered, running inside and leaping onto Rayanne's extremely plush mattress and burrowing into the bedcovers with a sigh of complete contentment. Rayanne laughed.

"You don't have to be so quiet, Aya, there's nobody else on this floor."

"Oh, my God, it must be so creepy up here at night," Aya said with a shudder.

"Sort of," Rayanne admitted, grinning a bit. She noticed Aya fidgeting with the blanket, a nervous tic she'd had since childhood. "What's wrong?" Rayanne asked.

Aya looked up at her with worried eyes. "I was supposed to tell you when you went to see the ministers this morning but, well, I kind of wanted to let you know now."

When Aya paused, Rayanne knew she was really not going to like this news.

"It's Ayamoshi. He's been seen in East End."

Rayanne exhaled and covered her face with her hands. Ayamoshi was the former Lord of the Serpent House who really, really didn't want to see her take the throne. He'd lost his position because of his threats toward both her and the councilors who were advocating for her. If he was allowing himself to be seen after going into hiding, it was probably because he was stirring up trouble.

"Wonderful. I'm probably going to have to take a trip out there to see what the hell he's up to," the reluctant princess said as she raised her face to the ceiling.

"Why don't you just ask the dragons?" Aya said before clapping a hand over her mouth, eyes wide. "Sorry!"

Rayanne laughed. "Nobody's up here, Aya. I would've heard them." She smiled when Aya removed her hand from her mouth a bit more slowly than necessary. "But you're right; I could ask Cinder and the others to keep an eye out for him." Glancing out the window, Rayanne wrinkled her brow. "What time is it, anyway?"

Aya looked out the window, frowning and tapping her chin thoughtfully. "I think it's around one in the morning."

Rayanne groaned and flopped back onto her pillows. "Oh, joys. I can catch a few more hours of z's before I have to deal with whiny ministers."

Aya snickered as she jumped off the bed. "Good night, Princess," she said with a mock (although quite courtly) bow before tiptoeing out the door, closing it quietly behind her. Rayanne smiled to herself as she settled herself back into bed, sighing as she closed her eyes.

xxXXxx

A few days later saw Rayanne hiking up a path that led into the mountains. She paused for a second to turn her face toward the sun and take a breath as a breeze blew past her. The girl smiled as her super-sensitive nose picked up the scent of smoke and sulfur. _Almost there._ Giving a satisfied sigh, Rayanne turned and continued on her way, glancing up at the sun. It was still a few miles to the dragons' cave, but she should be able to make it there before sundown.

Suddenly she tensed. Her spine snapped straight and she allowed Wolf to come to the fore, straining her ears. _There it is again._ Rayanne peered into the trees. Something was out there, and whatever it was appeared to be following her. Turning around, Rayanne began to walk again, this time listening to her surroundings intently. Ignoring the sound of her own footfalls and the occasional call of a bird, Rayanne was able to focus on the noise she was looking for.

_Footsteps; and DEFINITELY something on two legs._ She was being followed. The shapeshifter lifted her nose to the air before cursing under her breath. Whoever it was, they were downwind of her; she couldn't sniff them out without being completely obvious that a) she knew she was being followed and b) that she was not exactly a soul reaper. Picking up her pace just slightly, Rayanne focused her gaze on the road ahead. There was a bend in the path coming up soon; she would duck into the trees once she went around it and run. She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes. Then she stopped dead.

_There's someone ahead of me, too._ The girl took another breath. Her eyes widened. _Tosen?_

…_Oh SHIT._ Rayanne glanced up at the sky, pretending to study the clouds._ Okay, okay, deep breaths. Tosen's in front of me and I'm betting he's waiting somewhere in front of the bend. Someone else is behind me; I could run, but shifting is something I want to avoid. Fighting is definitely something I want to avoid. Tosen alone I may be able to handle, but two at once is out of the question._

Clenching her teeth, Rayanne flexed her fingers slightly. Her bones ached, her body wanting to slide into another form. Taking a calming breath, the girl began walking forward again, albeit slowly, keeping a serene smile on her face.

_Why are they here, even? Do they want to kill me? Wait, no, that makes no sense, if they wanted me dead I would be. Are they just observing? How long has the guy behind me been following me, anyway?_

She'd almost reached the bend in the path. Crossing over to the side of the road opposite the one Tosen was hiding on, Rayanne knelt down and pretended to examine a patch of forget-me-nots. _Here goes nothing._

Suddenly she dove through the bushes at the side of the road and subsequently found herself tumbling head over heels down a hill strewn with a few wonderfully sharp rocks. Rayanne couldn't hold back a few yelps as she fell; she was a bit scraped up when she reached the bottom but was otherwise unharmed. Not stopping to look back, she leaped to her feet and dashed off into the forest. She could hear her pursuers crashing through the brush behind her.

_Deep breaths, Rayanne, deep breaths. You can do this._ The forest was her element, her home. She knew this terrain and her animal half was built to navigate this sort of environment. Seeing a flash of silver in the corner of her left eye, Rayanne picked up the pace. _Gin's the other one, then._

"Bakudo 61: Rikujokoro."

Rayanne leaped up onto a tree branch to avoid Tosen's spell; it missed her by a hair.

"Shinso."

The girl half fell from her perch to avoid Gin's blade, which ended up slicing through several trees in its errant arc. Managing to land on her feet, Rayanne once again took off in the direction of the dragon's cave. She flash-stepped erratically, ducking and weaving around trees and through patches of undergrowth, using Wolf's senses to be able to change direction and balance on a dime; she also made use of her superior endurance, running up slopes and over large rocks. She was about to turn up toward the path again when a flash-step sounded nearby and a figure in white suddenly blocked her path. Rayanne almost fell as she skidded to slow herself. Rather than come to a stop, however, she turned to the left and leaped down another slope, barely managing to keep her feet under her. Once she'd hit the bottom, however, she cried out in shock as the ground gave way beneath her.

Thankfully the drop wasn't too bad, only about twenty or thirty feet. And she landed in water, which was fortunately deep enough that she didn't injure herself, though the impact hurt like hell. Rayanne came up gasping and sputtering, swimming in a random direction until she was able to blink the water from her eyes. Swimming toward shore, the girl took quick note of the fact that she was in a cave; a rather spacious one, too. There were two passages leading out; Rayanne figured she should head in the opposite direction of the river. She froze when she heard footsteps up above her. Noticing a large boulder near the far wall of the cave, Rayanne quickly clambered out of the water, dashing over and ducking behind it just before Gin jumped through the hole she'd made in the roof.

"Ray-kun, where are you?" the former third division captain called playfully, using a platform of spirit energy to keep himself from taking a dip in the river. Peering cautiously around her hiding place, Rayanne ducked back behind it when Tosen emerged beside Gin.

"I cannot sense her," the blind man said after a few moments. Rayanne closed her eyes and exhaled slowly.

"Dang, that kid's _fast._ Did ya see the way she was runnin'? I had trouble keepin' up!" Gin said, sounding strangely happy about the fact.

"You should not have used your zanpakuto. Lord Aizen wants the girl unharmed," Tosen said in a scolding tone.

_They ARE trying to kidnap me! On Aizen's orders, no less! What the hell does he want ME for? _Rayanne felt her heart try to make a jump out of her chest. Placing a hand on her chest, Rayanne tilted her head back, took a breath and let her control slide, managing to stay virtually silent as she transformed into the wolf. Shaking out her fur, she peered around the rock at the two men who were currently engaged in a debate on the degree of injury Shinso would have inflicted had Gin actually managed to hit her. Moving forward in a crouch, the wolf allowed herself to blend with the shadows, becoming part of them.

_Shade-walk time._

Moving slowly, Wolf Rayanne wove her way between the rocks and boulders between her and the exit she had scoped out before, moving extra cautiously when she crossed the water to reach it. With a quick glance backward to make certain she wasn't being followed, the wolf dashed through the tunnels, making excellent use of her superior night vision. Raising her nose as she ran, Rayanne took a couple quick sniffs to locate the path that would get her out of these tunnels.

_Fresh air. That way,_ Rayanne veered left, then right, then right again. She came to a stop right before she reached the fern-covered entrance, panting softly. Having recovered her breath, the wolf crept forward, sniffing cautiously to make certain no enemies lurked outside. Satisfied, Rayanne returned to human form. She reached out a hand and nudged a few fern leaves out of her way, peering around the forest to double-check her surroundings. Swallowing, Rayanne leaped out of the tunnel at a dead run. Once she felt she was a good distance away, the girl glanced behind her. No sign of pursuit. Releasing a pent-up breath, Rayanne looked ahead again.

She didn't see the blow that hit her. She turned when she heard something coming toward her, cried out when she felt a kido spell slam into her side, knocking her off her feet and sending her flying. Rayanne brought her arms up to protect her face as she went tumbling down another hill, bouncing and skidding along as she fell. She saw a flash of gray… _rock_… and felt a sudden pain on the side of her head before everything went black.


	6. Welcome to Las Noches

**Chapter 5**

**Welcome to Las Noches**

When Rayanne regained consciousness, she immediately became aware of an intense, throbbing ache in her head; the second thing that registered was she was lying on something soft. She opened her eyes only partially, trying to sit up. She gave a small groan when that action caused her headache to worsen. Rayanne almost jumped when she felt hands on her shoulders, keeping her down.

"Slowly," a familiar voice cautioned. "I don't think you'll want to move just yet."

_Uh, oh._ All Rayanne could see right now was white. She blinked a few times as her vision came into focus and her gaze settled on the man standing over her. She flinched a bit when Aizen pressed a damp cloth against the wound on the right side of her head, surprisingly gentle considering the last time she'd seen him he'd nearly sliced her open. He definitely looked different than he had when he'd been a captain; no glasses, hair swept back from his face, one stubborn lock dangling between his eyes. He wore white robes that were more form-fitting than his shihakusho had been. The red obi surprised Rayanne, considering the color scheme of the room she found herself in. White _everywhere._ Overarching assessment? _Bo-oring._ Rayanne pulled her head back when Aizen grabbed her chin despite the dizziness that resulted in.

"Easy does it, just look at me for a second," Aizen said, smiling in amusement. Rayanne gave him a tiny glare but complied, doing her best to tamp down a snarling Wolf who saw him staring into her eyes as a challenge.

"What's your name?" Aizen asked.

"Rayanne Amenaki."

"Who is your captain?"

"Sajin Komamura."

"Do you know who I am?"

"Wish I didn't."

Aizen's smile widened as he sat in a chair next to the bed Rayanne was lying on. "You have a mild concussion, but your memory seems unaffected. I'm rather impressed; that was quite a blow to the head you took."

"I know," Rayanne muttered. If the size of her headache was anything to go by, her head had been used as a bowling ball against diamond pins that had been super-glued to the floor. Aizen dipped the cloth into a bowl of water that rested on a small table by the head of the bed, wringing the water out before pressing it against Rayanne's head again. The spots of blood on it did not escape her notice. Her vision swam and she blinked hard.

"Dizzy?" Aizen asked, smirking.

"Just a bit," Rayanne answered. The sound of a door opening made them both turn their heads, Rayanne having to crane her neck back to see as Gin sauntered into the room.

"Mornin', Rayanne!" Gin said, a teasing note to his voice when he noticed she was awake. "How ya feelin'?"

"Better than I'd expected," Aizen said when all Rayanne did was blink at the man. He gave his lieutenant an arched look. "I thought I told you to bring her here _unharmed,_ Gin."

Gin's smile widened a bit. "Meh, I didn't mean ta hit her that hard. Or send her flyin' into a rock. Sorry 'bout that, Rayanne." To Rayanne's surprise, he actually looked a bit sheepish.

"Just don't do it again," she muttered as Aizen draped the cloth over the side of the water bowl. Gin snickered.

"I'll try," he said.

"Since you are here, Gin, would you go and tell Tosen I'd like to see him for a moment?" Aizen asked.

"Yessir, Cap'n!" Gin said with a mock bow before leaving the room. Aizen, his gaze fixed on the door, sighed before turning his attention back to the girl on the bed. Rayanne tensed when he placed a hand on her forehead and felt his reiatsu rise a bit. She blinked when she felt her headache ease and the fuzziness in her mind lessen. Aizen drew back and stood a few moments before the door opened, admitting the former captain of squad nine.

"You wished to see me, my lord?" Tosen asked.

"Yes, thank you for coming, Tosen," Aizen replied. He returned his focus to Rayanne, who had managed to work her way into a sitting position and was greatly pleased when this didn't admit another sledgehammer into her head. "Can you stand, Rayanne?"

The girl glanced up at him. He was smiling at her, but the steely glint in his eyes and something in his voice conveyed the fact that she would stand whether or not she could or wanted to. Suppressing a shudder, Rayanne stepped off the bed and stood shakily. Aizen's smile widened and he drew his sword. Rayanne took a step back in alarm, then gasped when Tosen came up behind her and restrained her by grabbing her arms. She snarled and tried to pull away from him; he responded by tightening his grip. The girl almost snarled again when she heard Aizen chuckle.

"Calm down, Rayanne. I don't want you passing out again," he said. He raised his sword, holding it in front of him, the blade parallel to the floor.

"Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu."

Rayanne shut her eyes and tried once again to pull away from Tosen, but her pinned her against him with one arm and used his other hand to hold her eyes open. After a few seconds he released her and she stumbled, blinking in an effort to get her eyes to stop burning. Looking at Aizen again, Rayanne had to remind herself not to show any sort of surprise when she saw right through him. Taking a breath, Rayanne's nose picked up no 'alive' scent, another clue that the image before her was really nothing but an illusion. Hearing movement behind her, Rayanne ducked and rolled, avoiding Aizen's attack in the nick of time. She promptly leaped to her feet, keeping her eyes on the two men warily.

"Interesting," Aizen said as he slid his zanpakuto into its sheath, his duplicate seeming to shatter like broken crockery before disappearing completely. Had the circumstances been different Rayanne felt she may have found the image a bit funny. "Kyoka Suigetsu's ability doesn't affect you as it affects others." Aizen turned his gaze to her and it took a good deal of Rayanne's self-control to keep her face blank. "Are you willing to tell me why that is?"

_Would he believe me if I said I don't know?_ Rayanne mused, studying his face. _Probably not. But…,_

"I'm not sure," she answered. _Technically I don't know how his zanpakuto works and what connections it has to his psyche. I don't know if it can only mimic images and other things he knows or if it can invent stuff on its own, so I'm not lying, per se._

The look on Aizen's face told her he thought otherwise, but Rayanne was not about to tell him about being a shapeshifter. She tensed when Tosen put his hand on the hilt of his sword, but Aizen put a hand out to stop him.

"Leave us, Tosen."

The man immediately straightened and left the room with a quick bow. Rayanne watched him go, then returned her focus to Aizen when the door closed, doing her best to ignore her racing heartbeat. Suddenly she blinked and stumbled, a sudden dizziness overcoming her. She braced herself for making the floor's acquaintance but was brought up short when Aizen stepped forward and caught her. Rayanne screwed her eyes shut and shook her head, but when she opened her eyes her vision was swimming even more than it had been before. She emitted a low moan when Aizen shifted his hold so she leaned back against his arm, pain jackknifing through her head very suddenly.

_Don't sleep! Danger!_ Wolf howled. Rayanne bit back a groan as her animal half started to panic, writhing and jumping in the mental cage Rayanne kept her in. She opened her eyes and black spots danced across her field of view. She was barely aware of Aizen lowering her back onto the bed. The girl flinched reflexively when the man placed a hand on her forehead.

"Hmm. Your concussion is a bit worse than I thought," Aizen murmured. _You don't say?_ Rayanne attempted to back away from him when she felt a sleeping kido begin to take hold of her. _Damnit, my head's spinning enough already_ was the girl's final thought before blackness enveloped her again.

xxXXxx

When Rayanne woke again she immediately gritted her teeth, screwing her eyes shut tighter. Her headache had returned with a vengeance; it felt like a million iron-hard dwarf hammers were pounding away inside her skull. Hearing the rustling of fabric, she opened her eyes a fraction as Aizen placed his hands on both sides of her head, releasing a pulse of healing reiatsu. Rayanne relaxed despite herself as the pain lessened until it was barely noticeable.

"Better?" Aizen asked with a smirk. Rayanne gave him a weak glare and he chuckled, leaning back in his chair as the girl sat up, one hand gently probing the wound on her head. She grimaced slightly; it was extremely tender and she would probably have a nice bump there for a few days. She turned her gaze to Aizen, who was watching her with what she promptly decided to call a 'holier-than-thou' smile. Condescending, for short. Despite the fact she knew he could probably kill her in five seconds tops, she felt her ire rising.

"Why did you bring me here?" she asked sharply. Aizen's smile now gained a hint of mirth.

"You interest me."

"And how, may I ask, do I interest you?"

"The lack of affect my zanpakuto has on you interests me a great deal," Aizen responded, apparently ignoring the way Rayanne's glare was becoming increasingly heated. "The way you were always wary of me even before I revealed myself also caught my attention."

_He noticed that? _Rayanne mentally rolled her eyes at herself. _Of course he did._

"I am also aware that Yoruichi Shihoin trusted you enough to approach you for help during the Ryokas' little incursion," Aizen went on, smile widening as a shocked expression found its way onto Rayanne's face. "I would prefer not to have to deal with any more interference from you. And I must confess that there is not much that captivates my attention in Hueco Mundo; I look forward to finding out your little secrets, Rayanne," he said. His smile got just a bit broader when a small spark of fear showed in the girl's eyes for an instant.

Rayanne felt her anxiety rising in her chest, making her feel just the slightest bit nauseous. Instinctively she reached out for Yasei no Raida's reassuring presence, eyes widening when a sensation akin to an electric shock jolted through her, keeping her from accessing her inner world. Testing this further, Rayanne flinched when another shock kept her from releasing a pulse of reiatsu. She turned her head when she heard Aizen chuckle.

"I was wondering when you would notice," he said. Rayanne hesitantly brought one hand up to her neck, going still when her fingers brushed over a velvety material. She glared at Aizen, who laughed again.

"Yes, that collar is what is keeping you from accessing your reiatsu," he said. He smiled at her. "I hope it's not too uncomfortable."

Rayanne's glare intensified. She didn't even like wearing short necklaces; the collar really ticked her off, and Wolf was beyond pissed.

_Wait… what?_ Rayanne realized, when she felt her animal counterpart's rage at being collared, that though the offending thing kept her from accessing her soul reaper powers, her connection to Wolf was just the same as it had been before. _This could come in handy. Or it'll be one hell of a pitfall; could swing either way at this point, I guess._

"I apologize if I came across as mocking," Aizen said, drawing Rayanne out of her thoughts. "But the question was sincere."

"Wonderful, then you're not a complete jerk?" Rayanne asked. Seeing Aizen's stern look, she sighed, glancing away from him. "I don't like it, but it's not choking me or anything." _It's like a freaking shock collar, of course it's uncomfortable you asshole!_

"Good," Aizen said with a small nod.

"What are you doing here?" Rayanne inquired, turning to face him again. Aizen smiled again, interlocking his fingers as he leaned back in his chair again.

"Tending to your injury," he said. "And laying some ground rules."

_Oh, this oughta be good._ Rayanne did her best not to flinch when his gaze suddenly hardened.

"You are as of now a prisoner of war. You are not to leave this room without an escort and you will obey orders given to you by your superiors; me, Gin, Tosen, or the Espada," Aizen said. "Do not try to remove the collar; doing so would result in a shock considerably more painful than the ones you experienced. As such, I would not recommend attacking any of the arrancar you may encounter here."

Rayanne's eyes narrowed and she opened her mouth, but Aizen raised a hand for silence. "And do not even think of trying to escape. Infraction of any of these rules will be met with appropriate punishment."

Rayanne, at this point, had turned away from him and was glaring holes in the wall so he wouldn't see her eyes change color. Her mouth ached with the want to grow sharper, more lethal teeth. Once she'd gotten the animal under control, she turned back to look at Aizen, who had stood up and was watching her with mild amusement.

"Am I understood, Rayanne?"

"Yes," she answered after a brief pause when Wolf threatened to rise again.

"Yes, what?" Aizen smirked. Rayanne's eyes flashed and for the briefest moment she bared her teeth in a snarl.

"Yes, _Lord_ Aizen."

**Ooh, Aizen just royally pissed off Rayanne **_**and **_**Wolf! Are they gonna take this?!**

**(Reviews fuel me)**

**Shannon: Seriously, review. She's been driving me nuts ranting about motivation issues and writer's block. Help me kick her ass into gear, here.**


	7. Meeting the Eighth

**Chapter 6:**

**Meeting the Eighth**

After Aizen left, Rayanne lay in bed for several hours, sleeping lightly on occasion. There really wasn't much else to do; her room's furnishings consisted of the bed, a white couch with a couple of cushions, a circular table and two chairs. In her opinion the least they could have done was provide her with a bookcase. An arrancar who had introduced himself as Ulquiorra, the Cuarta Espada had shown up sometime in what Rayanne assumed was the evening, informing her that he was the one charged with keeping an eye on her. After he had left, a lesser arrancar had entered and left Rayanne's dinner on a tray on the table. Rayanne, however, had yet to eat it; she'd lifted the lid and investigated the meal, sure. It consisted of some sort of bread; a biscuit, actually, and several types of fruit as well as a cup of jasmine tea. Rayanne had to admit it looked (and smelled) really good, but she wasn't too keen on the idea of eating anything in this place and being part wolf meant meat dishes were considerably more appealing to her. That being said, Rayanne had gone back to lying on the bed and had been dozing fitfully when the door opened. Blinking sleep from her eyes, Rayanne sat up as Ulquiorra entered the room. He examined the untouched tray of food before turning his apathetic emerald gaze to her.

"Why have you not eaten?" he asked, voice as expressionless as his face.

"I'm not hungry," Rayanne answered, suppressing a yawn.

"It is your duty to maintain your health until Lord Aizen summons you," Ulquiorra said.

"I bet you say that to all the girls," Rayanne muttered as she allowed her head to drop over the edge of the bed so she was looking at Ulquiorra upside down. The Espada just stared at her blankly for a few moments.

"I have come to inform you that tomorrow I will escort you to the Eighth Espada's lab so he may conduct an examination of you. I would recommend you rest well tonight," he said, turning toward the door.

"Eat," he continued as Rayanne sat up, not even looking back at her as he kept walking toward the door. "I will return in twenty minutes. If you have not eaten by then, I will tie you to a chair and force feed you."

Rayanne glared at the door for a few seconds after it had closed. Suddenly her eyes widened when she felt something biting into her lower lip and realized she had grown wolf fangs. Lowering her gaze, she was just in time to see her nails become blunt again.

_Shit… the shapeshifter thing might be harder to hide than I thought._

xxXXxx

When Ulquiorra came to fetch her the next morning, Rayanne was sitting on the couch staring up at the ceiling. She'd eaten breakfast without complaint this morning, knowing full well he'd been serious last night when he said he'd force-feed her. However, she was now beginning to regret her decision; Ulquiorra had said the Eighth Espada would conduct an examination on her, but he'd mentioned a lab. Considering that, Rayanne believed this wouldn't be a trip to the doctor's office. Back in Seireitei, even going to Squad Four for treatment made her antsy. She'd avoided going to Twelfth Division as much as possible. That being said, the food she'd eaten earlier was beginning to feel a bit like a rock in her stomach. When she stepped out of her door after the Espada, Rayanne wasn't too surprised to find the hall just as bleak as the room she'd just exited; white, blocky and entirely devoid of anything eye-catching.

_If Aizen spent any time here before defecting, it's no wonder he did what he did,_ Rayanne thought as she followed Ulquiorra through the halls. _I think I'd go nuts, too, spending all my time here. Eh, I'll take a rain check on my mental state now and see how I'm doing after I'm stuck here for a while._

She and Ulquiorra walked in silence; the Espada never even looked back at her, actually. The emptiness of the halls was somewhat unnerving to Rayanne, who was used to the background noise of the forest, the crowded streets of the Seireitei or the hustle and bustle of the shapeshifters' village and the castle; this place could've been deserted, for all the life it showed. She could smell other creatures and if she strained her ears with as much wolf in her as could be without shifting she could hear them, but she and Ulquiorra met no one before the Cuarta stopped at a door that was barely distinguishable from the walls surrounding it.

"You will follow," Ulquiorra said, turning to look back at her once he'd opened the door.

"Yes, C-Threepio," Rayanne muttered as she followed him into the room beyond. Once she did she had to keep herself from bolting.

The place was certainly a lab; machines, test tubes and wires of all sorts were all over the place. The scent of disinfectant was almost overpowering, but even worse was the fact that beneath that Rayanne could detect the scent of blood. A lot of it. Hollows and arrancars of every shape and size scuttled about, fiddling with machines and chemicals, screeching and murmuring to one another.

"Hello, Ulquiorra!" said a voice with mock cheer. Rayanne looked in the direction it had come from and saw a man wearing glasses and a lab coat walking toward her and her escort. _Holy hell, is his hair PINK?_

"Szayelapporro," Ulquiorra greeted in his usual monotone. "I have brought the girl; Lord Aizen has ordered that you perform only the preliminary tests today."

_Preliminary? Shit, am I going to have to come back here? Oh, gods._ Rayanne felt her panic threaten to rise and, along with it, Wolf.

"Yes, of course. Is this the girl?" Szayel said, side-stepping Ulquiorra and peering over the rim of his glasses at Rayanne. Rayanne fought the urge to snarl at him as he looked into her eyes. Then a grin of feral proportions that reminded Rayanne unpleasantly of a certain Mayuri Kurotsuchi spread across his face.

"Very well. This way, girl," he said, seizing her arm in an iron grip and dragging her further into the lab. Unable to contain her animalistic side completely, Rayanne snarled wordlessly and tried to pull away from him, hands curling into claws.

"Ooh, you're a strong one! I wouldn't have expected this much trouble from such a little thing!" Szayel said, sounding both amused and interested. He was also apparently stronger than he looked, considering he was able to hoist her onto a metal table and force her to lie down and apparently not take notice of her struggles.

"Oh, do calm down," Szayel muttered as he strapped her wrists down with leather straps. "I'm not going to hurt you." He smirked as he moved to restrain her ankles. "Much."

Once he had her completely restrained, he turned around and picked up a blue band and a syringe from a metal table behind him. He tied the band tightly around her right arm a few inches above her elbow and Rayanne realized he was taking a blood sample. She looked away so Wolf wouldn't freak out when she felt the needle slip into her vein. When Rayanne felt him remove the needle, she looked back at Szayel in time to see him put a blue cap on a vial of her blood. She watched as he put it in a test tube rack with two other vials of her blood before picking something else up and turning back to her. She barely had time to be surprised when he placed a hand under her chin, tilted her head back, squeezed the sides of her jaw to force her mouth open and scraped something along the inside of her cheek. When he pulled back Rayanne gagged and barely fought the urge to spit. When she saw him capping another test tube she realized he'd taken a saliva sample. The scientist followed this up by picking up a scalpel and taking a couple layers of skin off of the underside of her right forearm, then yanking a couple of hairs out of her scalp. This went on for what seemed like hours; Szayel found her lung capacity, muscle endurance, muscle strength, cardiovascular strength and endurance, tested her flexibility and even preformed an MRI. Finally he left a very worn out Rayanne bound to the examination table and retreated to a back room.

_Gods, now what?_ Rayanne thought, head dropping back onto the table as she closed her eyes. Despite the noise and the chittering of the surrounding arrancars, Rayanne had almost drifted off to sleep when she heard Szayel's step heading toward her. Opening her eyes, Rayanne saw the pink-haired arrancar standing a few feet to her right, nose buried in a manila folder. Seeing the label, Rayanne's mouth dropped open.

"You stole my medical records from fourth company?" she asked incredulously.

"Of course," Szayel huffed. "Knowledge of previous medical incidences and procedures will allow me to further understand your body and the way it functions."

Rayanne had to bite back a smile thinking of the fun Aya and Shannon would have had with that comment.

"Interesting," Szayel murmured, setting the folder down on the table beside him. Rayanne felt her heart lurch in her chest when he picked up a knife. Not a scalpel this time, but an actual knife.

"Wha-at are you doing?" Rayanne asked, eyes widening just slightly when the man turned to her, what she could only describe as a crazed grin beginning to spread across his face.

"Your records and the tests I ran with your skin and blood samples indicate a rapid healing ability," he said. Rayanne's hands curled into claws and the depth of her breaths increased noticeably when he rested the tip of the blade just beneath her left breast, where he could thrust it up and into her heart, or at least past her ribs, with little effort. "I wonder if…,"

"Szayelapporo."

The voice made both the scientist and his would-be victim freeze for a few moments. Then Szayel straightened and bowed toward the voice's owner.

"Lord Aizen," he greeted.

"I thought I ordered that only the preliminary tests be done today?" Rayanne couldn't see the man since she was tied down but she could hear him quite well as he entered the lab, the room having gone suddenly quiet. She could, however, see and hear Szayel swallow quite well.

"Yes, of course, my apologies, my lord. I simply got ahead of myself," he said, bowing slightly again. _What a suck-up._ Rayanne's attempt to cheer herself wasn't working wonders on her heart rate. Or Wolf, for that matter.

"I have completed the tests, my lord," Szayel was saying. "I shall ask Ulquiorra to take the girl back to her room."

"That will not be necessary," Aizen responded. Rayanne sensed a manipulation of reiatsu and quite suddenly her restraints snapped open. She sat up and looked over at Aizen, who smirked a bit at her startled expression. "I will escort her."

The thoughts that ran through Rayanne's head would have made a sailor's ears blacken and shrivel off. Nonetheless she hopped off the table, grimacing slightly at the soreness of her legs, and walked over to Aizen when he gestured for her to follow him. Hopefully she'd be able to calm Wolf down a bit more with Pinky out of her immediate proximity. Unfortunately once she and her 'escort' entered the hallway, the fact that she was walking in close proximity with a certain Sosuke Aizen made Wolf riled all over again.

"The endurance tests wore you out, I take it?" Aizen asked, sounding amused when Rayanne stumbled, her animal counterpart trying very suddenly to take control. Swallowing hard to slide a mask over the pain, Rayanne managed to straighten.

"Yeah," she said, managing not to snarl. She saw him smile out of the corner of her eye.

"And what do you think of Szayel?"

"He and Kurotsuchi should get together for lunch."

Aizen chuckled. "I hope you'll consider behaving yourself. I'd hate to leave you to him so soon."

_Kill him! _Wolf howled, slamming against the bars of the cage. Rayanne stumbled again with a choked groan. She flinched slightly when Aizen caught her arm, allowing her to lean against him as she shook her head, gritting her teeth against the growing pain in her gut. _Cut that out! NO shifting! Stop!_

"Are you all right?" Aizen asked as she straightened. Rayanne swallowed to ensure that she wouldn't growl.

"Just a dizzy spell; I'm fine, just a bit tired," she answered, then grimaced. She may not have been growling but she was a bit hoarse. She attempted to pull away from Aizen and was soundly annoyed when he wouldn't release her. She gave him a questioning look and he smiled.

"It would be rather impolite of me to leave you to walk on your own when you are unwell, don't you think?"

_Ooh, you little…!_ Rayanne glared at him. "I'm perfectly capable of walking on my own, thank you very much. That aside, don't you think it's also impolite to kidnap someone, threaten them and have a scientist of questionable sanity run tests on them without their consent?" she asked as they continued down the hall, Rayanne still attempting to pull her arm free on occasion. Aizen laughed at a particularly hard yank.

"What happened to you being tired?" he asked.

"I'm feeling suddenly quite energized," Rayanne all but snapped back.

"Really?" Aizen mused. Suddenly he pulled her arm…_ hard._ Caught by surprise, Rayanne stumbled again and was only saved from falling by Aizen grabbing her other arm. "Had you been fully 'energized', I would not have been able to catch you off guard, much less knock you off balance like that."

"And how would you know?" Rayanne snapped, struggling fitfully in his hold. She went still when he laughed.

"You'll remember I have sparred with you, Rayanne. I have had several opportunities to observe your fighting abilities."

_Oh, you don't know the half of it._ This ran through Rayanne's mind with a miniscule hint of smugness. The thought immediately following that, something along the lines of _if he finds out I'm royally screwed_, put down any hint of a mood lift. Sighing, Rayanne allowed herself to relax in her captor's hold. When she felt his grip loosen just slightly, she immediately lashed out with a kick to the shin, accompanying that with a hit directed toward the inside of his right elbow. Aizen evaded the kick but wasn't able to adjust his grip to avoid the blow to his arm. When he released her left arm, Rayanne immediately threw herself backward, using the weight of her entire body to pull free. She yelped in alarm when he flash-stepped behind her, grabbing her left wrist and wrenching it up behind her back at a painful angle, forcing her to her knees.

"Good, that was much better," Aizen said. Rayanne was surprised at his apparent sincerity. The guy was an enigma; first he told her he would punish her if she was defiant, then he praised her for attacking him. In what universe did that make sense?

"I'm glad you think so. Would you mind letting me up now?" Rayanne asked, voice slightly tight as her left arm started throbbing.

"I'll consider it if you can break this hold," Aizen replied.

_You've GOT to be kidding._ Rayanne gave a tiny whine, knowing full well he was a hell of a lot stronger than her and probably knew all the moves she could make. Her arm was killing her.

_What would Shannon say?_ Rayanne tried to think of what her mentor would do in this situation. Aside from wringing Aizen's neck with a spell, that is.

_Do something highly unconventional _was what Rayanne decided on, although_ break his nose _was a close second. Despite the stabbing pain it caused her left arm, Rayanne brought her right arm around to strike below her captor's ribs. When he grabbed her wrist, Rayanne used the momentum to keep pushing, bringing her right leg up and delivering a kick to a point just beneath his ribs. She managed to pull her left arm down, but then she found herself pinned to the floor with both hands held in a lock behind her back.

"A valiant effort," Aizen said, smiling as Rayanne visibly deflated beneath him, suddenly feeling quite worn out. "I suppose I'll have to give you credit for that." Rayanne was surprised when she felt him stand, pulling her to her feet as well. This time when she got to her feet she was very shaky and Aizen's gentle support was actually appreciated, though Rayanne would never tell him that.

"Are you tired now?" Aizen asked. His smile widened when her only response was a slow blink. "At least we're not far from your room. Come."

They really weren't that far; one more turn and a walk down a pristine white hallway later, Aizen stopped at another door that in Rayanne's opinion did a wonderful chameleon impression. Her captor opened the door and stepped aside so Rayanne could enter. She did so without complaint.

"Rest well, Rayanne," Aizen said. "I will see you tomorrow."

By the time Rayanne had turned around, the door had already shut and she heard a _click_ as the lock slid into place. Closing her eyes, Rayanne sighed deeply before moving over to the bed and sitting down, resting her chin in her hand. Then she ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. Wolf had finally calmed down but now Rayanne was unsettled. _What is he planning to do tomorrow?_

There was no purpose in worrying over it. She'd find out tomorrow. Sighing, Rayanne shifted her weight and lay down. Almost the instant her head hit the pillow, she was dead to the world.


	8. A Test and A Fellow

**Chapter 7:**

**A Test and a Fellow**

_The youngster cries out as she falls to the hard wooden floor, feeling as though the side of her face has been split open. Rayanne glances upward, shaking, staring at the sand-haired man who glares down at her. His robes, made of the most expensive silk she has ever seen, sweep around him like a cloud of red and violet. She can see the dark spots where her blood has stained them._

"_Worthless little wretch," the man hisses, robes billowing outward like dark wings as he stalks forward. Rayanne flinches, covering a cut above her left eye as she whimpers. She cries out as another strike from the black leather strap in his hand cuts deeply into the skin of her left shoulder, tearing through the fabric of her shirt. Blood wells from the new wound almost instantly, trailing over the other welts and bruises this most recent beating has gifted her with._

"_Father, please, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to let Wolf bite you, I swear it! You scared me, I didn't mean to, I'm sorry! Please!" she cries, backing into a wall, trembling uncontrollably now. She screams as another lash cuts across her left eyelid, blinding her as blood flows into her eye._

"_Then you have no control!" the man rages at her. "What have I told you about letting that monster take over?!"_

"_You're scared of her!" The girl shouts, tears streaming down her face, forgetting her fear in a moment of red-hot anger. "You knew she'd bite you! You know she doesn't like you! She was just protecting me, like you never do! I HATE YOU!"_

_The man's face darkens and instantly Rayanne's visage morphs into a mask of fear, realizing what she has said. She cries out as a vicious kick sends her sailing into a table and she cracks her head on a corner, feeling blood pooling beneath her head. She tries to get up but there is no strength left in her arms. She can do nothing but tremble in fear, keeping her face pressed to the floor as the footsteps stalk closer and hope against hope that the king has some mercy left in him._

"_Daddy, please stop! She didn't mean it, she didn't mean it! She's sorry!" She can see the hems of her little sister's torn pants as she tugs on the man's robe, begging him to leave Rayanne be. She flinches when the girl suddenly tumbles backward, landing hard on the floor._

"_Daddy, please, no. Daddy, STOP! MOMMY!" Misha screams, getting up and running from the room as fast as her little legs will carry her._

_Rayanne screams as the first blow slices through the fabric of her shirt and the skin of her back and continues to scream with each successive blow, sobbing and pleading for the man to stop. It is only when the pain has become so encompassing, so great that darkness creeps at the edges of her senses, that the blows finally quit falling. Before the blackness overwhelms her completely, she hears her mother's horrified cry._

"_Rolian, what have you DONE?!"_

xxXXxx

Rayanne jolted upright with a gasp. She was still shaking after she'd clutched her blankets to her chest, glancing around her room as though expecting someone to leap out at her. She brushed her hair out of her face with a trembling hand, a sound that sounded suspiciously like a sob escaping her. Swallowing thickly, she glanced up through the room's single barred window, looking at the crescent-shaped moon.

It had been years since she'd had one of those nightmares. Years since she'd thought of her father, of the rest of her family. Rayanne shivered, lying back in bed and staring up at the ceiling. Another quick glance sideways revealed that breakfast had been left on the table while she'd slept, but right now eating, in fact getting up at all, was the last thing she wanted to do. After a few minutes of lying around, Rayanne forced herself to get out of bed and walk to the dresser that sat on the same wall as the door, changing out of the nightgown she'd been provided with into a white Las Noches uniform that included a V-neck, form-fitting three-quarter sleeve top, a black obi and regular hakama pants. The simple task of dressing seemed to take more energy than Rayanne had available, so once that was completed she walked back to the bed and slipped beneath the covers. She lay there for several minutes, but every time she felt herself beginning to fall asleep she blinked rapidly, shuddering inwardly at the memory of her nightmare. Despite her efforts, Rayanne found herself sinking into memories of some very unhappy memories of her past, particularly the early parts of her childhood. Closing her eyes against both the sudden sting of tears and the onslaught of dark thoughts, Rayanne rolled over to face the wall.

"Rayanne."

Aizen's voice startled her out of her thoughts, more so than it usually would have because she hadn't heard the door open. Rayanne quickly raised herself to her elbows and looked over her shoulder at the man who stood in the doorway, looking her over appraisingly. She was moderately surprised when she noticed his usual smile was absent; in fact, frowning slightly and brow furrowed a bit, he looked slightly concerned. The second that thought entered her head, she scoffed inwardly. _Yeah, right. He is completely faking it._

"Are you feeling all right? Ulquiorra tells me he doesn't think you slept well," her captor said as he stepped into the room and walked toward her. He glanced over to the table, taking in the still untouched tray of food. "And you haven't eaten."

"It's nothing; I just don't sleep well in unfamiliar places," Rayanne answered. She discreetly bit the inside of her cheek when Aizen's piercing gaze settled on her. _Please buy it. I can't come up with a better excuse than that._ She resisted the urge to relax when he didn't question her further. That urge went away without much of a problem when he stepped toward her; in fact, the urge to sit up and get as far away from the guy as possible completely blotted out any thought of taking it easy. Aizen's usual smirk came back when Rayanne acted on the impulse, sitting up and pressing herself against the wall. Where it would have annoyed her before, what Rayanne now felt was a fear surfacing from the depths of her subconscious at the memory of another man who would look at her much the same way, usually before beating her. Inhaling quietly, Rayanne allowed her 'royal mask' to slip into place; emotionless, observant. She would definitely not show any sort of fear to Aizen. That resolution became a bit hard to keep when he suddenly reached forward and covered her eyes with one hand. The girl emitted a startled gasp and jerked her head back a bit, pushing herself against the wall. Aizen chuckled.

"It's all right. This won't hurt you," he reassured her, smiling. Rayanne huffed but allowed him to cover her eyes again. She flinched and barely held back a tiny cry when he released a pulse of reiatsu. When he released her, Rayanne blinked rapidly but was just as sightless as she would have been had her eyes still been closed.

"Don't worry, the blindness is just temporary and your eyes haven't been damaged; I can return your sight any time I choose," Aizen said.

_That is not very reassuring, _Rayanne thought, glaring in the general direction of his voice while her heart rate gradually slowed to normal. He could very well decide to just leave her blind for who knows how long.

"And what, may I ask, is the reason for blinding me?" she asked icily. "Too good for a blindfold?"

"Calm down; I just want to test something," Aizen said, sounding amused. Rayanne flinched when she felt him grab her right hand, but she allowed him to help her to her feet. Having lost her sight, she felt Wolf rising on base instinct, sharpening her sense of hearing and smell. She screwed her eyes shut and forcefully pushed the animal back when she slipped so far forward she was able to hear Aizen's heartbeat. Then Rayanne blinked, this time in confusion, when she became aware of a humming noise coming from somewhere in the room. Curious, she cocked her head just slightly in an unconscious effort to get a better idea of both the sound and its cause. She heard Aizen chuckle somewhere off to her right. The girl braced herself when she heard footsteps moving in her direction, forcing herself to keep still when she felt his hands at her neck, then a slight tug at the collar.

"I've adjusted your collar so it will allow you to use basic kido spells. See if you can locate the source of the sound and try to silence it," Aizen said as he stepped back. Rayanne immediately pushed Wolf back down, trying to hone her other senses, but with the collar still restricted her reiatsu to the extent that that proved to be impossible.

"Don't hold back," she heard Aizen murmur. When she hesitated, he said, "If I get the sense you are not trying, I will leave you blind indefinitely." Rayanne bristled. _God damnit. No, damn HIM. I can't do this without a wolf's ears._ Knowing Aizen was not one for making idle threats, Rayanne allowed Wolf to slide forward just enough to enable her to pinpoint the source of the noise. Once she'd located it, Rayanne extended her reiatsu sense slowly, still wary of the collar's limitations. Realizing the sound was caused by a kido, Rayanne quickly analyzed its composition and figured out a counter spell. Once she had cast that counter spell, the sudden silence seemed somewhat deafening. Rayanne felt Wolf jump inside her when she heard Aizen step toward her again, but she made herself stay put when she felt him cover her eyes again.

"Keep still," he murmured, directing another pulse of reiatsu into her eyes. Rayanne blinked hard once he'd removed his hand. Her vision was horrifically blurry and Aizen reached out to steady her when she swayed on her feet, feeling considerably dizzy.

"Easy does it," Aizen said, sounding amused when she almost fell over backward. "One step at a time; wait until your vision clears before you try walking anywhere."

"Thank you for the unnecessary advice," Rayanne muttered as her vision finally began to clear up. After a few more blinks, she was able to take a step away from her captor and square her shoulders.

"Better?"

Rayanne didn't even bother hiding her eye-roll. Aizen's smile gained a hint of mirth. He and Rayanne both looked at the door when a light knock echoed through the room. "Come in," Aizen said. Rayanne couldn't conceal her surprise when the door opened to reveal Ulquiorra, and behind him stood none other than Orihime. Rayanne glanced at Aizen, who was once again smirking at her startled expression.

"Orihime has expressed the wish to visit you," Aizen informed her as he walked past her toward the door. "I trust you both will behave yourselves." He spoke to both the girls, but he looked over his shoulder at Rayanne for a moment as he joined Ulquiorra at the door, Orihime having stepped timidly into the room. Rayanne gave him a sour look and he smiled before walking out, gesturing for Ulquiorra to follow. The door shut behind the two men and Rayanne and Orihime both stared at it for a second or two. Then Rayanne was almost bowled over by the hug Orihime suddenly enveloped her in.

"Oh, Rayanne! Thank goodness you're okay! When Ulquiorra told me you were here, I almost panicked, I was so scared for you!" Orihime practically wailed as Rayanne returned her hug after adjusting the other girl's hold on her so she was able to breathe more easily. Orihime pulled back just as suddenly as she'd jumped in and looked her companion over critically.

"Are you okay? What was Aizen doing in here? Did he hurt you? What's that thing around your neck? What…?" Rayanne held up a hand to stop the sudden onslaught of questions.

"To answer your questions in order: Yes, he was testing something, no, and it's a shock collar that restricts my powers."

"A shock collar?" Orihime's eyes widened almost comically.

"That's the best description I could think of; if I try to use kido or call on my zanpakuto, I get shocked," Rayanne answered.

"An electric shock?"

"It feels like it, but I honestly don't know."

"Why did Aizen bring you here?"

Rayanne shrugged. "Hell if I know. What about you?"

"Ulquiorra stopped me in the Dangai and told me Aizen wanted my powers; he said if I didn't go with him he would kill my friends," Orihime responded, voice breaking just slightly at the end of her sentence. "He gave me a twelve-hour furlough and told me I could say good-bye to just one person. I… picked Ichigo." The last part was accompanied by a blush and an increase in heart rate that would have gotten Rayanne to crack a smile had she not wanted to embarrass the girl. She went on as though she hadn't noticed anything.

"Is that why you were so scared for me?"

"Yes. I was afraid Aizen had had you brought here as a hostage," Orihime said. She glanced up at Rayanne, eyes wide with fright. Rayanne shook her head.

"I don't think so. I've been here for three days already."

"Really?" Orihime's eyes widened. "Why? How?"

"I was taking a walk in the forest when the next thing I know, Gin and Tosen are both chasing me down like a fox. Scared the living hell out of me."

Orihime opened her mouth to ask another question, then jumped when the door opened and admitted Ulquiorra.

"It is time for you to return to your chambers, Orihime," he said in his usual monotone. Glancing at Rayanne's table, he turned his attention to his other charge as Orihime came to stand next to him. "Do you not remember what I told you, woman?"

Rayanne rolled her eyes. "I'm hardly going to waste away from skipping one meal, Ulquiorra."

Then she and Orihime's eyes widened when several familiar spiritual pressures resonated through Las Noches. Ulquiorra glanced over his shoulder. Rayanne, following his gaze, saw Aizen walking down the hall. When he sensed the foreign presences, he looked up at the ceiling…

… and _smiled._

_Okay, that's it._ Rayanne felt Wolf's hackles rising. _We're getting outta here._


	9. Hairy Houdini (Sorta)

**Chapter 8:**

**Hairy Houdini (Sorta)**

Rayanne had her ear pressed to her door, listening intently. She had no idea exactly how this was going to work, she just knew it would probably be for the best if she and Orihime joined up with the others and high-tailed it out of Hueco Mundo as fast as they could. Aizen's complete lack of concern with the arrival of Ichigo and the others set off a number of warning bells in Rayanne's head. His apparent _satisfaction_ with their presence and the fact that by all appearances he'd ordered the Espada to do nothing only added to the girl's concern.

_He planned for this, I know it,_ Rayanne thought as she waited for someone to pass through the hall. She grinned briefly. _What I wouldn't give to see the look on his face if this actually works._

Satisfied that there was no one around and that Ulquiorra wasn't due to check in for another several hours, Rayanne took a step back and allowed Wolf to slip free. Once changed, the wolf immediately sat back on her haunches and scratched her neck, growling her displeasure at the collar.

_That's telling it,_ the human side thought.

Satisfied that the offending article had been appropriately chastised, the wolf trotted up to the door. Standing up on her hind legs, she slid one claw into the crack between the door and the wall and allowed her magic to well up within her. When she'd gathered enough of it, she swiped down, feeling the lock break. Nudging the door open cautiously, the wolf stuck only her nose out at first, sniffing as hard as she could to determine whether anyone was nearby. Then she poked her head out, ears swiveling like satellite dishes to pick up on any noise that would clue her in as to where she was in relation to the castle's other inhabitants. Just to be on the safe side, Rayanne activated her shade-walking as she fully emerged. Even if someone did pass her, she would not be seen unless that person was looking really intently at the shadows on either side of the hall.

As the wolf trotted along, she put her nose to the ground, searching for a specific scent._ Unnatural, sharp scent; cleaning solution, blood, desert sand, many scents, arrancar scents, bone. The pale one… Ulquiorra. Orange and vanilla. There._

Having caught Orihime's scent, Rayanne, nose to the ground, still mostly faded out, continued through the impossible maze of hallways that made up Las Noches. The human part of her realized her decision to shift had probably saved her skin; she would have been hopelessly lost had she not had some sort of guiding light. That and her shade-walking proved to be a valuable defense. The few arrancar she passed, all thankfully not Espada, were so focused on whatever tasks they were performing that they paid no attention to their surroundings and didn't notice a funny-looking shape in the shadows on the wall. After tracking the girl for what felt like hours, Rayanne finally arrived at a door that was nearly identical to hers. Standing on her hind legs and placing one paw on the door, the wolf inspected this new obstacle. It appeared that, unlike her door, Orihime's had no lock; it was just way too heavy for a single human to open. Giving it a test shove, Rayanne figured it wouldn't be able to stand up to a shapeshifter's strength. Taking a quick sound survey to make sure no one was in the area, Rayanne returned to human form. She gave the door a hard shove, pushing it just far enough to be able to squeeze inside before her shade-walk failed and she winked back into full visibility. She nearly jumped out of her skin at Orihime's alarmed yelp.

"Ssh!" Rayanne hissed, holding a finger to her lips. Orihime's hands flew to cover her mouth, her eyes going wide as a truck tire.

"Rayanne, what are you doing here?" the girl asked.

"Escaping. Wanna come?"

"Escaping? Without your zanpakuto?"

Rayanne felt like such an idiot she barely resisted the urge to face-palm. She'd just remembered she had _absolutely no idea_ where her sword was, and with the collar still around her neck she had _absolutely no way_ of finding it. Then an idea popped into her head.

"Do you think you could use your powers on the collar's seal? Return it to the point before it was activated?" Rayanne asked. Orihime's face brightened. She walked over to Rayanne and held her hands up, a few inches away from the collar around her friend's neck.

"Santen Kesshun, I reject!"

Rayanne screwed her eyes shut, prepared for a shock. She got one when she wasn't zapped. She heard the hum of Orihime's healing shield and opened her eyes to the warm golden glow and her fellow prisoner's face screwed up in concentration. After about a minute Rayanne heard a click and felt her reiatsu filling her in a rush as the collar fell to the floor. Sighing softly, Rayanne closed her eyes and sent a mental call to her zanpakuto, who responded with a happy cry. The shapeshifter laughed.

"What's so funny?" Orihime asked, a puzzled look gracing her features.

"Yasei no Raida's happy that we can talk again."

"You couldn't even talk to her?" Orihime asked, eyes widening again.

"That damned collar would shock me if I even so much as tried to make contact. Without it, I can find her." That said, Rayanne walked to the door, peering out into the hall and extending her senses. Closing her eyes, she decided it was time to use the second sight Shannon had gifted her with she had taken the girl on as an apprentice. Closing her eyes, Rayanne reached out for her zanpakuto, searching for traces of her spirit essence. There was only darkness at first, and then a picture of the surrounding castle began to form in Rayanne's mind. She saw hallways, rooms and the arrancar that occupied them, all in dull shades of gray and black. Then a flash of blue; her zanpakuto. It was just a floor above them, in a room that looked like an armory.

"I should be back in a few minutes," Rayanne whispered to Orihime, opening her eyes and glancing back at the girl. "If I'm not back in half an hour, make a dash for it. I know you can sense Ichigo and the others. You'll be able to find them on your own."

Orihime gave a hesitant nod. Rayanne shot her a reassuring grin before dashing out the door. Shifting into wolf form again and using her shade-walking abilities, Rayanne followed the path she had mapped out with her second sight. Heart pounding, she stuck close to the wall, moving at a steady lope. She slowed to a trot whenever she encountered an arrancar in the corridors. Once she was in the general vicinity of the room she'd sensed her sword in, she slowed almost to a crawl, tail and ears low, eyes darting about. There were more powerful presences here. If she was discovered, she would have no chance of escaping. That and it would be kind of hard to explain the whole wolf thing. Finally reaching the hall she wanted, she dropped into a crouch, creeping forward until she reached the door. Sniffing at the small crack between the door and the wall, the wolf gave a questioning whine. Feeling Yasei no Raida's faint response, the wolf, burgeoned by a sudden anger, dug her claws into the lock and ripped it off the door, slamming her shoulder against it with a growl. Walking inside, she still had enough human common sense to shut the door behind her before continuing. Lifting her nose to scent the air, Rayanne examined the room.

The place appeared to be some sort of storage closet. Furniture and various trappings, sheets and blankets that looked and smelled like that hadn't been used in years were scattered throughout the room in a sort of organized mess. Chairs sat stacked on top of tables and couches, bookcases and sets of drawers were piled on top of one another. Curtains, bed sheets and blankets were tucked into the crevices between furniture, some of them folded away neatly; others were stuffed into nooks and crannies or dangled across a chair arm or leg. Rayanne walked through the small pathways that wove through the clutter, keeping her nose close to the ground. She sneezed when she got a dust bunny in her nose, then pricked her ears. Then her heart skipped a beat.

_Footsteps._

The door opened and Rayanne whirled around; thankfully she was standing behind a large pile of chairs and desks so whoever had just entered wouldn't be able to see her. She quickly darted behind an aging armchair, then slowly peered around the side. Immediately she pinned her ears back against her head.

_Damnit, WHY did it have to be him?!_

Aizen strolled into the room as casually as if he were walking through the park. He looked from side to side, scanning the shadows and corners. Rayanne counted herself lucky that there was no dust on the floor, else he wouldn't have had any problem tracking her down. She re-activated her shade-walking and stayed perfectly still as Aizen walked past her. Once he had, the wolf, ears down, crouching low, stepped out of her hiding place, becoming fully visible as she stepped into a shaft of moonlight that shone through the room's lone window. Amber eyes reflecting the light of the crescent moon, the wolf stalked silently forward, lips pulling back from sharp, lethal teeth. The man in front of her heard nothing, suspected nothing as he glanced left and right, his much weaker eyes scanning the shadows, the danger remaining unseen. When Aizen came to a stop, visually inspecting an especially deep shadow, the wolf crouched in preparation for the leap that would end the man's life.

_Wait._

Pausing, the wolf glanced in the direction the man was peering. With her superior night vision, she could see that Aizen wasn't looking for her at the moment. There, in the shadows the man had been studying, resting on a sword stand between a chair and a set of cabinets, was her zanpakuto. The wolf looked back at the man again; had anyone seen her in that moment, odds are they would have been very, very frightened by the human intelligence in those animal eyes.

_He led me right to my sword; I doubt he will show me anything else, however unwittingly. I should just kill him now. On the other hand, if I don't kill him on the first try, if he cries out, it'll bring the rest of Las Noches down on my head. He's fast and strong; if he survives the first blow, he will almost surely be able to beat me back._

Raising herself up again, the wolf slowly backed away from her captor. Soundlessly she turned and trotted back into the pathway she had been in when Aizen had entered. Keeping low to the ground, she made her way back to the door as quickly and quietly as she could. Once she had, she was pleased to see that it was still slightly ajar. Glancing at Aizen to make sure he wasn't looking in her direction, the wolf pushed the door open, at the same time scraping the claws of her right hind paw across the floor just hard enough so the sound barely echoed across the room. When she saw Aizen look toward the door, she used an illusionary spell to make a shadow dart across the wall and out of the room, the effort leaving her dizzy and breathless. Shaking her head to clear it, the wolf scrambled backward, nearly running into a stack of chairs when she heard her captor begin to walk back toward the door. Rayanne was too exhausted, the illusion spell having used too much of her magic reserves, to fade into the shadows again. She closed her eyes, barely resisting the rather human urge to cover them with her paws, when Aizen passed just feet in front of her. Her breath hitched when she heard him pause for an interminable moment in front of the door. Then, finally, he started moving again. The wolf opened her eyes as the door slid closed, ears and eyes straining to ascertain if Aizen was truly gone, that this wasn't just a trick to lure her out. Hearing and seeing nothing, Rayanne was still for a few moments. Then she dashed out of her hiding place to the back of the room and grabbed the green-hilted zanpakuto in her teeth, Yasei no Raida's joyful cry resonating throughout her soul.

Rayanne shot out of the room like a ball shot out of a cannon. She ran using a motion similar to shunpo since she wouldn't be able to shade-walk again for some time; no one would be able to see her when she was moving this fast. The wolf skidded to a stop outside Orihime's room, dropping the sword before shifting back into human form. Shaking her head a bit, Rayanne reached down and scooped up her zanpakuto before pushing Orihime's door open. She felt bad for not knocking when the other girl gave an alarmed yelp and jumped practically to the ceiling before realizing who it was.

"Oh, Rayanne! It's you! Thank goodness!" Orihime said.

"We need to move. Now," Rayanne said, interrupting the other girl as she moved in for a hug. Orihime looked into her face, eyes clouding with worry when she noted the other girl's expression.

"Aizen knows I've escaped. We have to hurry before he alerts everyone else." At this Orihime's eyes went so wide they would've looked big on a whale. Rayanne tied Yasei no Raida to her obi and grabbed Orihime's hand, leading her to the door and peering out.

"Okay; Ichigo and the others are in the lower levels. With any luck we won't encounter any Espada, but some of the arrancar I've sensed down there are fairly strong. We need to move quickly, hopefully interrupt them before they meet anyone," Rayanne whispered. Orihime nodded, tightening her hold on Rayanne's hands. Rayanne grinned at her and, closing her eyes and wishing for luck, took off at a rapid flash-step through the fortress. She barely paused, clinging tightly to Orihime's hand as they ran. Rayanne knew full well she wouldn't be able to map out a route; actually, considering the size of this place, she'd probably have gotten lost even if she'd had a map with big red arrows saying _this way, folks!_ All she could do was move in the general direction of the invaders' reiatsu and hope like hell that she'd be fast enough to escape before she and Orihime were noticed. She dashed through doors, turned corners at a ridiculously rapid pace and almost ripped poor Orihime's arm off on more than one occasion when she did an about-face to avoid an arrancar's spiritual pressure. After what felt like an eternity, the only definite conclusion Rayanne could reach was that she and Orihime were somewhere in the east wing of Las Noches, near the base of the fortress.

"They're getting closer! I can feel them!" Orihime said, sounding excited when Rayanne finally came to a stop in an empty out-of-the-way room. At least it appeared empty; it was difficult to tell, what with the corners being so dark.

"Yeah, so can I," Rayanne responded a bit more quietly. She and Orihime jumped when torches suddenly flared to life on the walls. Then Rayanne felt her spirits lift when she saw a head of orange hair appearing from the door in front of them.

"Ichigo!" Orihime cried, dashing past Rayanne and nearly knocking the poor orangette over with the force of her hug. Rayanne laughed at the utterly bewildered expression on the kid's face.

"Rayanne!"

Said shapeshifter soon found herself smothered by Rukia's hug; she was surprised when Uryuu and Renji ran a few steps toward her as well.

"Are you two all right?" Renji asked when Rukia released Rayanne, looking between Rayanne and Orihime, the latter of whom nodded vigorously.

"Oh, yes, we're fine! Rayanne sensed you guys when you arrived and came up with an escape plan all by herself!"

"It wasn't a plan, per se. We've just spent I don't know how long running all over this damn fortress trying to find you guys," Rayanne said. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to get moving."

"Why the rush?" Ichigo asked, looking confused. Orihime, suddenly remembering Rayanne's earlier warning, gasped in horror. Rayanne nodded.

"Aizen knows I escaped; he probably already knows about Orihime as well. Since we haven't gotten caught yet, I'm assuming that a) he knows exactly what we're doing and doesn't care yet, b) he planned for this, or c) he's seriously messing with us."

"Gee, how'd you know?"

Rayanne and the others whipped around and Rayanne's stomach dropped to her feet when she saw a teal-haired arrancar who, she assumed from the description of the Espada Ulquiorra had provided her with, was Grimmjow. Surveying the room they were standing in for the first time, Rayanne saw that there were no less than six doorways, and in each door stood an Espada. Ulquiorra was there, as was Szayel. Next to Grimmjow stood a man whose hood Rayanne thought resembled either a satellite dish or a remarkably large spoon; Nnoitora, undoubtedly. To the right of the Quinta stood two people who Rayanne assumed to be Halibel, the Tercera Espada, and a tired-eyed brunette, Starrk._ The Primera?! We're dead,_ Rayanne thought.

"Grimmjow," Ichigo said, stepping forward, taking Zangetsu from his back and pointing it at the grinning Espada. "Ready for a rematch?" Grimmjow's grin broadened.

"Why else would I be here, Kurosaki?"

"I think running might be a better idea," Rayanne whispered to Uryuu.

"Like cowards?" Renji hissed as Grimmjow and Ichigo both took fighting stances.

"It's us against six Espada; would you bet your life, actually the lives of everyone here, that we can win?" Rayanne retorted. The redhead paused.

"Even so, what good would running do?" Uryuu whispered. "The passage is narrow and the Espada are undoubtedly fairly quick. We'd never be able to make it to the Garganta."

Rayanne grinned. "That's where mister 'I'm so great with kido' here comes in," she said, indicating Renji. The boys both looked at her in confusion.

"You're right, the passage is narrow; but there are also some nice large pillars right next to the entrance. If all of us were in the passage and Renji set off one of his little kido cannons, aiming it at the ceiling, the whole thing would come crashing down."

"And block the entrance," Uryuu said, catching on. Then he frowned. "But the rest of the passage is unstable, too. Wrecking the entrance could bring the whole thing crashing down on our heads."

Rayanne shrugged. "It's either dodging falling rocks or getting mauled by Espada."

Renji still looked doubtful, but Uryuu, Orihime and Chad, who had been listening in, nodded slowly. Renji sighed, then leaned in and whispered something in Rukia's ear; the raven-haired Kuchiki then glanced back at the shapeshifter.

"Are you sure he'll be able to actually _hit_ anything?"

Rayanne scoffed. "Considering the size of his explosions, he's bound to hit _something._"

Uryuu snickered while Renji glowered. Rayanne grinned. "Okay, everyone get ready to run." Glancing at Ichigo, who was thankfully still in the bantering stage of his fight, she added, "and somebody grab Carrot Top over there before he kills himself."

Ichigo, hearing the nickname, turned around to glare at Rayanne just as Renji grabbed his collar and the whole crew made a dash for the exit tunnel. They were about thirty feet away when Rayanne's luck decided to run out. Rayanne, the last in line, was about to make a mad leap for the hole Ichigo and company had made when they'd barged into Las Noches when she felt a searing pain in the back of her right leg and she dropped to the floor with a cry.

"Oh, no! Rayanne!" she heard Orihime call. Glancing up sharply, she saw Orihime and Ichigo both turn around, the latter starting to run back toward her. Hearing footsteps closing in behind her, she looked at Renji, who stood just inside the tunnel entrance staring at her with a horrified look on his face. Rayanne tried to get to her feet, but to her horror her right leg would not respond; she couldn't feel it at all.

"No! Leave me, go!" she shouted, waving Ichigo back. The way he glared at her indicated that he was furious with her for even suggesting such a thing. Rayanne looked at Renji significantly and was alarmed when he took a step in her direction as well.

_Idiots!_

Swallowing against the fear and dread building in her gut, Rayanne extended a hand toward the roof of the passage.

"Stop! Rayanne, don't you dare!" Ichigo shouted, panic in his voice when the air around her hand started to glow.

"Hado 63: Raikoho," Rayanne all but whispered.

"No!" she heard Ichigo cry as the kido blast struck the roof of the passage, which crumbled almost instantly. Through the dust, Rayanne saw him skid to a halt just in time to avoid a large falling boulder before her view of him was blocked completely. Hearing something above her head, Rayanne glanced upward and noted with alarm several large cracks spreading across the ceiling. She ducked her head, covering her neck with her hands and screwing her eyes shut as the debris fell around her, the noise amounting to a terrific rumbling roar. When silence fell, Rayanne thought she'd gone deaf for a few seconds. Slowly she lifted her head, coughing as dust entered her throat. Through a brown haze, Rayanne saw that the hole was completely sealed. Hearing someone coming up behind her, Rayanne had just a moment to consider regretting her decision to cast that kido before she was yanked up harshly by her shirt collar and found herself meeting angry teal-blue eyes.

"You got a death wish, girl?" the Sexta snarled. Before Rayanne could open her mouth to respond, he had his sword against her throat. She was fully prepared for him to kill her when Ulquiorra suddenly appeared a few feet behind him.

"Put her down, Grimmjow," the Cuarta ordered tonelessly as the other Espada began to emerge from the dust. Grimmjow whipped his head around and glared at Ulquiorra, who returned his usual emotional stare.

"Release her now unless you wish me to force you."

Grimmjow glared at Ulquiorra for a few moments before tossing Rayanne aside with a growl. Rayanne braced herself for impact, but even so she couldn't hold back a small grunt as her side collided with the edge of one of the ceiling pieces. She lay there for a few seconds, winded, before attempting to get up. To her surprise, Ulquiorra appeared beside her and gently grasped her arms, lifting her onto her feet.

"Szayel, what was on that knife?" Ulquiorra asked as Rayanne proceeded to put all her weight on her left leg, her right not being able to take even an ounce of pressure without collapsing.

"A modified anesthetic, a sort of paralysis poison," Szayel piped up, looking quite pleased with himself while Halibel threw him a look that might have been disgusted. "Nothing deadly, no permanent damage, but she won't be able to use that leg for a few hours."

"Why the fuss, Ulquiorra?" Nnoitora asked, hoisting his crescent-shaped zanpakuto over his shoulder. "Why don't we just kill her? Don't tell me you've got a soft spot for her."

Ulquiorra turned his emotionless gaze to the Quinta. "Lord Aizen has ordered that she be brought back to him unharmed."


	10. Henko

**Chapter 9:**

**Henko**

Rayanne did her utmost to think about anything but her leg injury as Ulquiorra half-led, half-dragged her through the halls of Las Noches. Szayel had said the thing on the knife had been a modified anesthetic, but apparently all it did was make her leg utterly useless; it did nothing to dull the pain. It did nothing to stem the bleeding either, apparently. When Ulquiorra finally opened a door, Rayanne was almost glad because her leg was just about ready to give out. When Ulquiorra pulled her inside, however, Rayanne almost forgot the injury. The room was gigantic; large stone columns lined both sides of it. At the front of the room stood a gigantic stone dais, on top of which sat a large white throne. Aizen occupied the massive stone chair, chin resting on his fist, looking down on the pair who had just entered with his usual arrogant smirk.

_How the hell did he even get up there? _Rayanne thought, right before Ulquiorra gripped her shoulder and forced her to stand upright, completely ignoring her quiet hiss of pain.

"I have brought the girl, Lord Aizen," Ulquiorra said in his usual monotone. _Good morning, Captain Obvious._

"Yes, thank you, Ulquiorra," Aizen said, sitting up straight. "You're dismissed."

Ulquiorra released Rayanne so suddenly she nearly toppled over. He bowed before turning on his heel and walking out of the room. Rayanne watched him go before returning her gaze to the man on the throne, who was smiling down at her. Rayanne bristled inwardly, outwardly keeping her face stony.

"Now, what to do with you?" he mused, interlocking his fingers and resting his elbows on the arms of the throne. Rayanne glared at him, but the effect was dampened when a stabbing pain pervaded her leg again.

"Gin," Aizen said.

Hearing a flash-step behind her, Rayanne tried to turn around but her right leg wouldn't take her weight. She fell against the silver-haired captain, who quickly wrapped an arm around her waist. Barely a moment later a pungent-scented cloth was pressed against her face.

"Deep breaths, Ray-kun. Easy does it," Gin said as Rayanne thrashed in his grip, uttering muffled yells as she tried to pull his hand from her face. After a few moments her struggles weakened, then ceased as the girl went limp in his arms, unconscious.

xxXXxx

When Rayanne regained consciousness, she was fairly certain she'd been dragged outside Las Noches and buried somewhere in the desert of Hueco Mundo. Her mouth was dry, her throat scratchy. Every single one of her limbs felt weighed down, as though she was made of lead. She could barely even lift a finger. She tried to turn her head, then tried to groan when that action sent pain searing through the muscles involved. Her vocal cords didn't respond. Rayanne flinched just slightly when she felt something touch her head, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Are you awake yet?" Aizen asked softly.

Rayanne managed to force her eyes open and was met with the sight of Aizen standing above her, smiling. She flinched when he placed a hand under her chin and tilted her head up, gently forcing her to meet his gaze.

"Very interesting," he murmured after a few moments, releasing her and stepping back, taking a seat in a nearby chair. Rayanne gave him a questioning look and he smiled.

"Most are incoherent upon waking after receiving a dose of that drug. You, however, seem perfectly all right."

"I wouldn't go that far," Rayanne said hoarsely, struggling to sit up, the blanket she'd been covered with slipping down her torso. She took the opportunity to observe her surroundings quickly. The room they were in was fairly small, probably less than twelve feet on any side. There was no window and the room's only furnishings consisted of the bed she was laying in, Aizen's chair and a small wooden cabinet by her bedside. Rayanne also realized two things as she was forced to lie down because of her spinning head; her zanpakuto was gone and her reiatsu had once again been sealed. No, make that three things. There was no pain in her right leg; glancing down as she moved it, Rayanne realized that the injury had been completely healed and the effects of the anesthetic seemed to have worn off. Her eyes narrowed when she heard Aizen chuckle.

"I see you've realized your wound has been healed," he said. "Gin is a talented warrior, yes, but I have found he is also a very skilled healer."

Rayanne made a noncommittal noise in response and out of the corner of her eye she saw Aizen's smile widen. He leaned back in his chair, interlocking his fingers, stare becoming suddenly calculating.

"Now," he said, "there is one question I would like you to answer." The girl stared stoically at the ceiling.

"Look at me, Rayanne," Aizen ordered softly. Rayanne swallowed, meeting her captor's gaze. _Oh, no._

"How were you able to move through Las Noches completely undetected?" Aizen asked softly. "Even with your reiatsu sealed, you were able to reach Orihime's room unobstructed and Gin did not see you in any of the security recordings. "

Pause. Rayanne glanced at the wall, feeling her heart begin to beat rapidly.

"Think carefully before you answer. I will know if you are lying," Aizen said, voice soft but distinctly dangerous. Rayanne looked back at him, then looked up at the ceiling again.

"I can't tell you," she said softly. Aizen studied her for several long seconds after that.

"Very well," he sighed, getting to his feet and walking over to her bedside. Rayanne gave him a sidelong glance, quelling her wolf's desire to run. Much as she might want to hightail it out of there, she knew she had no chance. Aizen smiled when she gave him a sidelong glance.

"If you'll remember, I still need to punish you for your little escapade."

_Oh, shit,_ Rayanne thought, bringing her hands up reflexively when he leaned toward her, but he quickly caught her wrists and restrained them with a binding kido. Her heart skipped a beat when Aizen drew a syringe from somewhere in his robes. She had to fight Wolf down when he uncapped it, the needle dripping with a strange reddish substance.

"Try to relax and this won't hurt as much," Aizen said as he threaded a hand through Rayanne's hair and forcibly turned her head away from him, exposing her neck. Rayanne closed her eyes as the needle penetrated her skin and the strange drug was injected into her bloodstream. She gritted her teeth, breath deepening as a burning sensation spread throughout her body, rendering her completely immobile. Rayanne felt a surge of panic rise up when she realized she couldn't move and the only thing that kept Wolf down was her silent wish to not reveal her race or her fear to her captor. She closed her eyes as Aizen placed on his hands on either side of her temple. She felt his reiatsu rise and raised her own to counter it, but found herself unable to focus enough to create an effective barrier. To her surprise, Aizen just used his power to examine her, brushing over her mental barriers and ascertaining her physical state. When he pulled back Rayanne opened her eyes in time to see him reach into his robe and withdraw a small purple orb; the Hogyoku.

"I told your Ryoka friend that the Hogyoku's power was removal of the barrier between hollows and soul reapers," Aizen said, studying the little sphere. Rayanne swallowed thickly. In the back of her mind she found herself wondering if the orb had a different effect on shapeshifters.

"It also has the power to read the hearts and minds of those around it," Aizen continued, looking at his helpless captive. "It can reveal a person's innermost desires, even those that they are unaware of."

Rayanne clenched her teeth and tried to look away as Aizen held the Hogyoku before her. She found herself almost mesmerized by the orb, staring into violet depths that seemed to swirl and spin like galaxies and planets dancing across the universe. Hearing a whispering on the edges of her consciousness, she managed to close her eyes and erect a stronger mental barrier despite the stabbing pain that action resulted in.

"Relax," Aizen said softly. "It will be more painful the more you resist."

He was right; the longer Rayanne held off the mental assault, the worse the pain got. She bit the inside of her cheek and steeled herself, but deep down she knew this was pointless; the drug's effects had already riled her nerves, which weakened her mental barriers, and with the pain quickly compounding like this it would soon reach unbearable levels. Whatever Rayanne decided to do she would inevitably lose, and she nearly released a cry at this realization. Something squirmed deep within her, and this time it wasn't Wolf. Rayanne's breath hitched. There was a pain building in her bones, like the one that accompanied a shift, but this quickly became much worse. Rayanne wanted to open her mouth, to scream, but her vocal cords refused to respond; her throat burned as though she'd swallowed lava. Her bones felt like molten steel, her gut burned like it was full of coals. Rayanne felt like she had jumped into a furnace and was in the process of melting; the agony was all encompassing, and it was still getting worse.

Suddenly another overwhelming pain erupted through her back, as though someone had cut open the skin and muscle and ripped out every single one of her ribs.

Rayanne arched her back and screamed.

**I'm BACK, baby! Sorry it took me so long to update, but since school started (welcome to hell, everybody), I haven't had much time to write. I'll try to see if I can be a bit more regular with my updating once I get my schedule all figured out.**

**P.S. Chapter title is Japanese for change**


	11. Early Transition

**Chapter 10:**

**Early Transition**

Rayanne regained consciousness slowly. When she did, she almost wished she hadn't; every part of her ached. It was an effort to even open her eyes. The light was so bright she immediately closed them again. She reopened them slowly and was able to get a look at her surroundings. She wasn't able to see that much; she was surrounded on three sides by a white curtain, a wall on her left. The sterile, sharp scent of the place told Rayanne she was either in a lab or some medical area. That was slightly surprising, to say the least; she'd been expecting to wake up in a cell.

Not to mention the bed she was lying on was way too comfortable for a hospital bed.

A sudden stab of pain drew Rayanne out of her thoughts and she winced, placing a hand over her stomach in a vain attempt to ease the pain. Hearing the soft pad of feet walking toward her, Rayanne glanced up in time to see a black-haired arrancar open the curtain surrounding her bed. He wore a white lab coat and carried a clipboard; his mask fragment curled behind his right ear and proceeded to cover that side of his head, like a bone helmet. He smiled at her.

"It's good to see you awake," he said, walking over to her bedside. "How are you feeling?"

"Better than I was," Rayanne answered, voice a bit hoarse. "Where am I?"

"One of the recovery rooms in the medical wing," the arrancar answered. "Can you tilt your head back for me?"

Rayanne complied and the arrancar set his clipboard down before gently feeling her neck and the area beneath her jaw. He frowned slightly, placing his hand on the girl's forehead for a few moments before making a couple notes on his clipboard. Rayanne swallowed as another wave of intense heat swept through her. "What happened?"

The healer gave her a sympathetic glance. "I'm afraid you'll have to ask Lord Aizen." When Rayanne gave him a puzzled glance, he said, "He has asked to be informed when you woke up."

Rayanne gave the ceiling a despairing glance as she let her head drop back onto the pillows.

"Don't strain yourself. Try to rest for a bit. I must go inform Lord Aizen that you are awake," the healer said gently. Rayanne closed her eyes against another wave of heat as the healer left, taking a deep breath and letting her head drop to the side, eyes closed. Several heat flashes followed that one and Rayanne became aware that she was sweating. Laying a hand on her forehead, Rayanne wasn't too surprised to find it hot, but she wasn't expecting it to be _that_ hot.

_What in hell is wrong with me?_ She'd heard of shapeshifters going through similar illnesses, but that was often in the time before or immediately following their first transformation, and according to her knowledge it never got this bad. Rayanne was almost panting at this point, letting the blankets fall down to her waist. Almost as suddenly as the heat had come, it disappeared and Rayanne felt suddenly cold. She pulled the blankets back up to her chest, shivering slightly as she rolled onto her right side, closing her eyes. _Gods, I'm so tired._

Rayanne had dropped into a light doze despite her discomfort when she heard a door open. Opening her eyes, Rayanne listened as someone entered the room, heard a second set of footsteps move over to the first.

"Greetings, Lord Aizen," she heard the healer say quietly.

"How is she?" Aizen asked, voice equally hushed.

"She woke up about an hour ago and managed to speak a little bit. Her temperature has gone down, but she's still very sick and her fever hasn't broken since you brought her here."

"Do you have any idea what is causing this?"

"I do not know; it is not viral or bacterial. There is nothing in the blood, her white blood cell count is perfectly normal and her lymph nodes are not swollen."

Rayanne strained to hear more of the conversation but a sudden, intense wave of heat made her close her eyes, hearing nothing but the rush of blood in her ears. She didn't know how long this lasted, but when her eyes opened again she was more than a little surprised to be met with the sight of Aizen sitting in a chair by her bed. She tried to raise herself up to her elbows, but that only had the effect of intensifying the pain in her bones. She grimaced slightly despite herself, rolling onto her back to try again. The girl was surprised when Aizen kept her down with a hand on her shoulder.

"Where does it hurt?" he asked softly when Rayanne had subsided.

"Everywhere," she muttered in response.

"Do you need something for the pain?"

Rayanne barely managed to conceal her surprise at the question. "I'll live." Discreetly biting her lip, she glanced sideways at her captor. "What… happened?"

Aizen studied her for a few moments before leaning back in his chair. "I don't know." When Rayanne kept looking at him, he said, "When I introduced you to the Hogyoku, you resisted. Quite vehemently, I might add. When its energy withdrew, I thought you had given in. A few moments after that you started screaming and your body temperature rose almost eight degrees in the space of a few minutes. Then, when I was bringing you to the healers, you stopped breathing."

Rayanne looked up at the ceiling again, thinking things over. It was definitely similar to what her people called shifting sickness; dramatic change in body temperature, severe pain in the bones and muscles, and aquatic and avian shifters sometimes had trouble breathing. Problems? She wasn't an aquatic or avian shifter, the body temperature change had never been reported to be as dramatic as eight degrees in less than three minutes, the pains were never so bad that they had a shifter screaming in agony, and the symptoms always occurred only between a shapeshifter's first and second transformations. Most shapeshifters experienced some degree of shifting sickness, some were lucky enough to escape it completely; Rayanne had been one of those, probably the one thing she could thank her father for; members of the royal family rarely experienced the symptoms.

Another shock of pain interrupted her thoughts. Rayanne screwed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth, doing her utmost to ride out the pain in silence, but she couldn't stop a small groan slipping past her lips. She flinched slightly when she felt a cool hand on her forehead, and then a soothing energy spread through her, dulling the pain but not completely eradicating it. Rayanne frowned slightly. She knew Aizen was the one doing this, but the energy coursing through her was not kido. It was healing magic.

To be specific, _Shannon's_ healing magic.

_Bingo,_ the Immortal thought to her. _I'm manipulating his energy so it won't do any damage to your body as it adjusts; healing kidos don't work for this sort of thing, you know._

_Huh?_

_You're right, it is shifting sickness._

_What? How's that possible? I've transformed I don't know how many times!_

Shannon projected the mental equivalent of a sigh. _You know how the shapeshifter's royal line has dragon's blood in it?_

Rayanne could feel the blood drain from her face.

_I know what you're thinking, and I know Rolian and his father never achieved dragon forms. They were not able to fully realize their power because of their general disconnectedness to both their people and the world around them. You, on the other hand, are Guardian trained and able to interact with both the people and the world around you on an intimate level. You would have transformed eventually, but your contact with the Hogyoku has pushed you into an early transition._

_Oh, gods,_ Rayanne thought. The pain had subsided, but she did not open her eyes. Early transitions, when the body began preparing for a physical transformation before it and the person's powers had matured enough to sustain the change, were potentially deadly. One in seventeen shapeshifters who entered an early transition didn't survive the process; that death rate was even higher among royals who fully realized their dragon's blood. Judging by what Aizen had told her and what she had felt, her odds of survival weren't looking good. Hearing her name, Rayanne opened her eyes and met Aizen's gaze.

"Are you all right?"

_Fine, considering I just figured out I'm probably going to die within the next three days. Slowly and painfully, I might add._ "Yes." Rayanne was surprised she'd managed to keep her voice steady. She blinked when she saw the healer standing beside him, holding a syringe. He smiled at her, gently taking her right arm and turning it palm up.

"I'll be leaving you now," Aizen said as he stood. Before he left he looked over his shoulder. "Rest well, Rayanne."

When he was gone, Rayanne glanced questioningly at the healer, who once again smiled reassuringly. "No need to worry, I'm only sedating you so you'll be able to sleep."

Rayanne felt the sting as the needle entered her arm.

_Be ready. Once you fall asleep, I'm taking you out of there,_ Shannon said.

_Why?_

_At the rate you're going, you probably will die. I can help you to cope with the changes better if I'm right with you._

Rayanne sighed softly as she felt herself start to lose awareness. Her eyes slid closed, and then she dreamed she was falling into a pool of silver water.


	12. Regroup at the Shoten

**Chapter 11:**

**Regroup at the Shoten**

When Rayanne regained some semblance of consciousness, she was aware of the pain in her body, but it was as if there was some sort of disconnection between her nerves and her brain. No painful thing was felt clearly, but she could feel other things perfectly well; grass beneath her, a light breeze blowing her hair back, her cheek resting against something soft and warm that was apparently breathing. Rayanne opened her eyes and found herself staring up at a blue sky through the branches of a tree. Something white entered her vision, something soft brushed over her forehead.

"Go back to sleep," Shannon murmured softly, gently nosing some hair out of Rayanne's face. Rayanne swallowed and turned over, resting the right side of her face against the unicorn's flank. She saw that her mentor was lying on a patch of soft grass beneath a willow tree; Rayanne rested in the nest created by Shannon's legs, like a new foal lying by its mother.

"Where are we?" Rayanne managed to whisper, eyelids already feeling heavy.

"A park just outside Karakura Town. Don't worry; you're all right now. You're safe here," Shannon said, nuzzling the girl's neck and exhaling in her ear. Rayanne closed her eyes as her mentor's familiar scent, a pine forest after a spring rain, wrapped around her. And as Shannon began to sing, a soft Gaelic lullaby, Rayanne found herself reminded of her mother; she remembered being held in strong, warm arms, a gentle voice singing a lullaby when she had nightmares. That familiar contentment beginning to fill her for the first time in nine years, Rayanne allowed herself to relax and drift off into a deep sleep.

xxXXxx

When Rayanne woke again, she was immediately aware that she's been moved. Judging by the scent, she was inside, and by the feel of it she was lying in a bed of some sort. She opened her eyes.

"Nice to see you finally waking up," came a familiar voice.

Rayanne glanced sideways. "Yoruichi?" she questioned in astonishment. Said woman gave her a Cheshire-cat grin from the tatami mat she was sitting on before abruptly leaping to her feet and walking over to the girl. Her smile softened as she helped Rayanne sit up.

"How are you feeling?" she asked quietly.

"I'm fine, actually," Rayanne said, sounding a bit astonished. It was true; her bones and muscles no longer ached in the slightest and it didn't feel like there were burning rocks in her gut. She and Yoruichi looked over at the door when they heard it open, and in walked a man wearing a green haori and a green-and-white striped hat. He held a white fan in front of his face, and Rayanne guessed it was hiding a smile that stretched from ear to ear.

"Kisuke Urahara, I presume?" Rayanne asked.

"Why, Miss Amenaki! I'm flattered! How'd you know me?" Urahara said, snapping his fan shut and raising his arms in what he was probably hoping was a dramatic gesture. Rayanne had been right about the smile; it did pretty much split his face.

"You have a rather distinctive style of dress."

Yoruichi snickered while Urahara just continued grinning, walking forward to join Yoruichi at Rayanne's bedside. "Now, if you don't mind, Miss Amenaki, I would like to examine you and make sure you're feeling a hundred percent."

"You try anything and I'll bite your hands off," Rayanne said, remembering Yoruichi's descriptions of her companion. Urahara's grin widened.

"Oh, you wouldn't, would you? They're my best feature."

"I know."

Yoruichi laughed while Urahara donned a mock wounded look before proceeding with his examination. Thankfully his exam was far less invasive than Szayel's and took about half the time the Octava's had.

"Well, now," Urahara said as Rayanne swung her legs out of bed. Yoruichi sat down beside the girl, cross-legged at the foot of the mattress. Urahara's face suddenly became deadly serious and Rayanne felt her stomach drop somewhere beneath the level of her intestines. She suddenly found the floor the most fascinating thing on the face of the planet. She jumped a bit when she felt the warmth of an arm wrapping around her shoulders, but she leaned into Yoruichi nonetheless.

"Rayanne, what did Aizen do to you?" she asked softly. Rayanne swallowed thickly.

"I know it's probably a rough topic," Urahara said gently, "but right now you're probably the most informed person with regards to the strength of Aizen's army. And I want to be able to prevent any sort of relapse of your… condition."

Rayanne took a breath before straightening. "I can't really tell you anything you don't already know about his army. Ten Espada are the strongest fighters, numbered in descending order of their lethality. The Octava Espada is a scientist, kind of like Kurotsuchi. I have no idea what any of his projects are, though."

Urahara nodded. "And what did Aizen do to you? Do you know why he's interested in you? Why he would want to have you kidnapped?"

"Scientific interest? Boredom?" Rayanne said, lifting her legs and hugging her knees to her chest. "I never really trusted him, even before he revealed his true colors. He noticed, of course. He said 'there's not much that captivates my interest in Hueco Mundo. I look forward to finding out your secrets.'"

"You mean he dragged you into the hollow world and put you through hell because he was _bored_?" Ichigo's voice startled the room's three inhabitants. They all looked up to see the orangette standing in the doorway, scowling more deeply than usual, eyes bright with anger. "That sick asshole."

Rayanne bit back a smile. "Got that right."

Urahara hid his smirk behind his fan. Ichigo suddenly looked sick.

"Rayanne," he said softly, "when you… when we left you… did he hurt you?"

_Shit._ "He punished me for trying to escape, yes."

"Did he hurt you?" Ichigo's hands were clenched into fists at his sides, his knuckles turning white.

"I got the sense it wasn't intentional, but yeah."

At this declaration, Yoruichi's mouth turned down and her eyes narrowed slightly. Ichigo looked positively livid. Rayanne could scent the anger rolling off of him, even though Wolf was hardly at the forefront.

"And how did he punish you, Rayanne?" Urahara asked softly.

"He tried to use the Hogyoku to… I don't know, penetrate my mind. I fought so hard it evoked a physical reaction," Rayanne answered. _Not exactly lying._

"_Physical reaction?!_" Ichigo sputtered. "You were so sick you could barely move!"

"Speaking of which, where did you find me?" Rayanne asked, looking curiously at Urahara.

"A park a few miles outside of town. Lucky free-loader san sensed your spirit energy, or you might've been lying there for days," Urahara said.

"Free-loader san?"

"Renji," Yoruichi clarified. Rayanne couldn't stop a grin from creeping across her face.

"How did you manage to escape?" Ichigo asked suddenly.

Rayanne furrowed her brow, feigning confusion. "Ummm… I'm not sure. I remember some sort of monitor room or something, after that it's all a blank. Sorry."

Silence. Somewhat awkward, but a bit more on the heavy side. Then Urahara stood, laying a hand on Rayanne's shoulder.

"Yoruichi and Rukia picked out some clothes for you," he said, indicating a small pile of cloth laid over a chair at the foot of Rayanne's bed. Rayanne realized belatedly she was still wearing her Las Noches uniform. "When you're up to walking, I've asked Tessai to prepare lunch for you."

"What time is it, anyway?" Rayanne asked, glancing around. There were no windows in here. Urahara chuckled.

"A little past noon. You've been asleep for a full day since we found you."

Rayanne flinched and giggled when Yoruichi ruffled her hair before following Urahara out the door with an admonishment to 'take care of herself'. Once her visitors were gone (Rayanne used Wolf's ears to make certain Ichigo wasn't lurking outside doorways this time), she hopped to her feet. The shapeshifter sent a mental call to Shannon while she examined the clothes, which consisted of a pair of jeans, a green long sleeved paisley T-shirt and a set of sneakers.

_Good afternoon, Rayanne,_ Shannon greeted as Rayanne slipped out of her Las Noches uniform.

_What exactly did you do, that you've got everybody so confused?_

_Basic illusion. I put you in a sort of stasis so your body could adjust without putting too much strain on you, then imitated one of your reiatsu flares. When Renji found you, I made you look really, really sick._

_What did you do on Aizen's end?_

_I made it look like you managed to find the garganta program on one of the computers in the medical wing._

_Being able to rewrite reality must be one hell of a handy power,_ Rayanne thought to herself as she tugged the shirt over her head.

_I wasn't messing with reality; it was all just illusion, though I'll admit controlling reality does have its moments._

_You weren't supposed to hear that._

_Sorry._

A quiet knock brought Rayanne out of her telepathic conversation. "Come in," she called. She was slightly surprised when Rukia was the one who opened the door.

"Rayanne," Rukia breathed, trotting forward and wrapping her friend in a tight hug.

"Ichigo told me what happened," Rukia said when she stepped back. Rayanne nodded in acknowledgement.

"How's Orihime?"

Rukia's face darkened. "We were ambushed. The moment we stepped out of the Garganta, we were attacked by the Septima Espada and a band of fracciones. Orihime was recaptured before we'd even gotten halfway to the Shoten."

Rayanne cursed under her breath. "Damnit. I hope Aizen's easier on her than he was on me." She regretted opening her mouth when Rukia's face paled. "He should leave her alone; I think he's going for the 'charming evil overlord' image with her."

Rukia managed a shaky smile. "Then what was he going for with you?"

"Charming, sadistic asshole evil overlord."

Rukia laughed, then grabbed Rayanne's hand and dragged her out the door. "Come on, Tessai just got the soup off the stove."

xxXXxx

After a filling lunch that consisted of miso soup and some meat dumplings, Rayanne sat on the roof of an apartment building near Urahara's shop, fingering the hilt of her zanpakuto. She had been happy to find it lying on the bed when she'd returned to her room with a note written on some sort of parchment paper saying _I'll make sure Renji remembers bringing it in._

She had to return to Soul Society, and soon. Captain Alden was probably having fits, and knowing Aya the little blackbird shifter would be freaking out. The girl had managed to catch a wayward hell butterfly and direct it to tell Alden and the councilors that she was alive, had escaped Hueco Mundo and was staying in the World of the Living until the opportunity arose for her to leave without arousing suspicion.

"Why did I have to be the only one to survive?" Rayanne muttered bitterly, tossing a small pebble onto the concrete sidewalk below.

"That's probably one of the questions people most often regret asking."

Rayanne turned to face her mentor. "What?"

Shannon smiled. "Fate's a funny thing," she said, lying down next to Rayanne, curling her body around the girl's.

"I thought you didn't believe in fate?" Rayanne retorted, leaning back and using the unicorn as a pillow.

"I can see the future; I can see what are apparently all the different directions any one person's life can take. You're right, I don't believe in fate; those paths are never written in stone, but it is interesting the purposes they can serve."

Rayanne had no response to that; she just leaned her head back to stare at the clouds and ponder over Shannon's enigmatic answer. The two stayed like that for several minutes before Shannon suddenly pricked her ears and turned her head to the west. Rayanne lifted her head and sat up just as a smile spread across Shannon's face.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Rayanne asked, peering in the direction Shannon was looking but seeing no one.

"We're being watched. Or you are; he can't see me."

"What?"

Just as the word left her mouth, a flash of silver caught Rayanne's eye. She rested a hand on Yasei no Raida's hilt.

"I know you're there, Gin!" she called down the street. For a full minute there was no response. Then Shannon turned her head to look east. Rayanne looked too, but as before could not see or sense anything that would have captured the Immortal's attention.

"He's down there now?" she whispered to Shannon.

"Yes, just behind that copse of trees in the park. I suspect he's trying to test your sensory abilities," Shannon mused. "That and probably pop out and scare you at an opportune moment."

"Are you reading his mind?"

"Nope, just making an educated guess."

"Aw, Ray-kun, you're no fun," came a fake pouting voice from behind the two.

_And Shannon's right as usual,_ Rayanne thought as she turned to face the silver-haired traitor, who was standing behind her, hands behind his back, usual grin splitting his face. His gaze was fixed firmly on Rayanne; he couldn't sense Shannon in any way, shape or form. To Rayanne's surprise, the Immortal showed no signs of leaving. She seemed perfectly content to sit there and watch.

_I thought you usually opted out of this stuff,_ Rayanne thought.

_I'm bored,_ the unicorn responded, grinning cheekily.

"What are you doing here, Gin?" Rayanne asked sharply, now openly resting her hand near her sword's hilt. Gin shrugged.

"Captain Aizen asked me to check up on you," he answered, grin widening about an inch.

"I'm so sure."

"Come on now, Ray-kun! He was worried when you just up an' vanished, especially when you were so sick. How are you feelin', anyways?" Gin asked.

"Fine," she answered curtly.

"Ah, Urahara-san playin' doctor with ya?" Gin said, grin becoming slightly malicious.

"Oh, come on. I never get any credit," Shannon muttered.

"I have no clue; I was out at the time," Rayanne said, holding back a grin at Shannon's comment. Gin snickered.

"Well, in that case, ya ready ta go?"

"Where?" Rayanne said. She gripped the hilt of her sword.

"Back ta Las Noches, of course!"

"I'm not going _anywhere_ with you, most definitely not to Las Noches!" Rayanne snapped.

"Ya sure?" Gin asked. Rayanne suppressed a shudder at the threatening edge his expression had suddenly taken on. "If Aizen-san wants ya back there, you're gonna go no matter if you want to or not."

"What the hell could that asshole possibly still _want_ with me?" Rayanne snarled. "Wasn't nearly killing me enough?"

"Never is for these God-wannabes," Shannon mused, looking at Gin with an expression Rayanne couldn't discern. Gin, completely unaware of the examination he was undergoing, laughed.

"Ray-kun, if ya wanted him to leave ya alone, escaping like that wasn't a good idea. If anythin', you've got him more interested in ya than he was before."

"I don't care if he's _interested_ in me, that's no God damn reason to kidnap someone!" Rayanne snapped, Wolf coming to the fore as she bared her teeth. Gin's smile wavered for a moment. Shannon smirked.

_What?_ Rayanne thought to her. That expression on Shannon's face was potentially dangerous.

_Calm down there, Pup. The fox had his tail between his legs for a second there._

Rayanne realized then what she must look like. Feeling Wolf swimming behind her eyes, Rayanne knew her glare would be quite heated, and since she was snarling Gin would be able to see, if not exactly take note of the fact, that her teeth were unusually sharp. The Human Alpha was Aya's favorite phrase when referring to this look.

"It's not just that you're interestin', Ray-kun," Gin said, smile back in place. "He told me you've been upgraded to 'potentially dangerous'. He wants to keep you close so he can keep an eye on ya."

"If I am dangerous, why doesn't he just kill me?" Rayanne said, crossing her arms and flipping her hair, giving Gin a challenging look. He laughed.

"'Cause that'd be borin', o' course!" Then he shrugged. "Well, if ya don' wanna come, I'll just tell him you're doin' okay and that ya said hi. Anythin' ya want me ta say to him?"

"Tell him to quit it with the whole 'becoming God thing'. If he won't do that, tell him to at least leave me the fuck alone."

Gin laughed again. "I don' think he'll listen, but I'll tell him you said so. Bye!"

And just like that, he was gone. One blink, he was there, the next, vanished. Rayanne shared a look with Shannon.

"I'd go tell Urahara to expect a visit from the arrancar fairly soon," Shannon said.


End file.
